Mohanlal to keep vintage camera of his first film

Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam superstar Mohanlal will keep the vintage camera with which his first film was shot way back in 1978.

A man had moved court against the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) for presenting the equipment to Mohanlal and the actor even expressed his willingness to return the camera. However, KSFDC Chairman Sabu Cherian ruled out accepting the offer, saying an unnecessary controversy has been created over the issue. "There are reports that a person has approached court seeking enquiry into the handing over of the camera. It is an unnecessary controversy as the equipment is neither in working condition nor has any archival value," Cherian said. The camera, which was in the possession of KSFDC, was presented to the actor considering his sentimental attachment to the equipment with which his first shot was taken, Cheriyan said. Mohanlal also replaced the camera with a new one in working condition to the KSFDC, he said. The equipment was presented to the actor after he expressed his desire to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy during the inauguration of the renovated Karali-Sree theatre complex in December last year. The Chief Minister then promised that it would be gifted to him. The equipment was later presented to Mohanlal at a function in the presence of Ashok Kumar, the director of his first film `Thiranottam` and its cinematographer S Kumar. Though Mohanlal had offered to return the camera in the event of any difficulty to KSFDC in connection with the case, Cherian termed it as a `closed issue.`