&w=3840&q=100)
Honouring 'The Kerala Story' endorses use of films to spread communal hatred, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that awarding national film honours to 'The Kerala Story' can only be seen as an endorsement of attempts to misuse movies to spread communal hatred and urged the cultural and film community to oppose such moves unitedly.
Vijayan said it was 'extremely unfortunate' that a film which insults Kerala's secular traditions and defames it before the world was honoured at the national film awards.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'This also insults the great cultural heritage of Indian cinema and sends out the message that art should be used to destroy the secularism of our country and replace it with communalism,' he said, prior to inaugurating the Kerala Film Policy Conclave here.
He said that the film community needs to wake up against such a 'distorted' portrayal of Kerala and put an end to such moves.
Filmmaker Sudipto Sen won the Best Director award for his film 'The Kerala Story', which also received the award for Best Cinematography.
The film had courted controversy for its portrayal of women in Kerala being forcefully converted and recruited by the terror group Islamic State.
Vijayan also said that it needs to be examined why the Kerala film industry has not received the level of recognition it deserves and hoped that it would be a topic of discussion at the conclave held at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall inside the Legislative Assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram.
He further said that the conclave was organised with the aim of formulating a comprehensive film policy for the all-round growth and development of Malayalam cinema, as it was imperative to modernise and expand it with the changing times.
State Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian, who presided over the event, said that it was decided to hold such a conclave following the recommendations in the Justice Hema Committee report to tackle issues of sexual exploitation, discrimination, wage disparity and unfair working conditions prevalent in the film industry.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The committee was constituted based on the demands of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) after the 2017 actress assault incident.
Around 500 delegates, including representatives from the Malayalam film industry like Mohanlal and Suhasini Maniratnam, film personalities from outside the state and abroad, participated in the conclave.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
‘Turned Adivasi assertion into a political force that birthed state': Shah to Rajnath, Mamata to Stalin — tributes pour in for Soren
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Ministers and other leaders across the political spectrum paid tribute to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha co-founder and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren who died Monday. Shah said in a post on X that Soren 'struggled for decades for the rights and empowerment of the tribal community in Jharkhand'. 'With his simple personality and humble nature, he connected with the masses,' Shah wrote. Singh said Soren was counted among the towering leaders of Jharkhand who struggled throughout their lives for the rights and empowerment of the weaker sections of society, especially the tribal community. 'He always remained connected to the land and the people,' he said. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said Soren's death has brought a chapter of Jharkhand's history to an end. BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Soren's life was dedicated to the well-being of the deprived, tribals, and labourers. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote on a social media post, 'Thiru Shibu Soren's life was defined by relentless resistance against exploitation and an unshakeable commitment to social justice. As one of the key architects of Jharkhand's statehood movement, he transformed decades of Adivasi assertion into a political force that gave birth to a new state.' Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy hailed Soren's struggles for the formation of Jharkhand and his efforts to address the problems of tribals. JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Soren's 'significant contribution to Jharkhand's politics is noteworthy'. 'His passing has caused an irreparable loss not only to Jharkhand but also to the political and social spheres of the entire country,' Kumar wrote. RJD president Lalu Prasad spoke of 'memories of our joint struggles' for achieving 'social justice and empowerment of deprived classes'. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the former Jharkhand chief minister dedicated his life to the upliftment of tribal society. BJD chief and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, said Soren would be remembered for his dedicated fight for the rights of tribal and marginalised people. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said Soren was a towering figure in Indian politics and a dedicated statesman who served the people with unwavering commitment.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
How The U.S. Rewired Pakistan's Air Force; Why That Legacy Still Matters Against India
New Delhi: When Indian jets pounded Pakistani positions under Operation Sindoor, Islamabad's narrative tried to flip the script. Claims of tactical success echoed through Pakistani media, even as damage reports told a different story. But behind these optics, Pakistani defence analysts are pointing to a system that did not come from China, but from the United States nearly 70 years ago. Defence portal Quwa highlighted how the foundations of Pakistan's air force still rest on operational practices and doctrine handed down by the United States as far back as the 1950s. The report claims that what many today call 'software', mindset, structure and operational culture, was installed in the early days of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by American advisors. That legacy has shaped PAF's command philosophy to this day. It even influenced the decision to move the Air Force Headquarters from Rawalpindi to Peshawar, giving the force its own command ecosystem, distinct from the army's shadow. How America Gave PAF Its Operational 'Software' According to Quwa, in the early 1950s, Pakistan's air force lacked both equipment and a professional framework. The turning point came with the 1950 Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with the United States. Under this, Washington not only provided F-86 Sabre aircraft to Pakistan but also embedded an entire operational doctrine into the PAF. Considered the architect of a modern PAF, then Air Marshal Asghar Khan recognised that the United States was sending jets as well as exporting a full system. This included depot-level aircraft maintenance, rather than the traditional squadron-level model; strict safety regulations, based on U.S. Air Force protocols; and clearly separated departments for operations, maintenance and administration. This model replaced the older British system and gave Pakistan's air force an American-style command structure that is still in use today. According to Quwa, this is the backbone that allows the PAF to integrate foreign fighter jets, including the Chinese J-10CE, into its arsenal smoothly. The report argues that this inherited mindset enables faster pilot adaptation and more coherent training cycles, which translates into better performance during real combat situations. A Quiet Nod to the U.S., Not China While Pakistani media has hyped up the role of Chinese-origin J-10CE fighter jets in countering India's Rafales, Quwa takes a more nuanced position. It suggests that the real enabler was not Chinese technology, but American methodology. The systems laid down decades ago by the United States, it claims, allow the PAF to function as a streamlined and adaptable air force, something its regional rivals have had to build from scratch. This legacy also explains the PAF's ability to quickly operationalise new platforms. Pilots transitioning to newer aircraft often show higher mission-readiness because the doctrine standardises procedures across the force. And it was this very consistency, Quwa argues, that allowed Pakistan to mount any kind of coordinated air response during India's strikes. What Really Happened in the Skies? Despite Pakistan's claims, the outcomes of the recent aerial confrontations tell a more complex story. Islamabad managed to shoot down one Indian aircraft, but failed to intercept or prevent Indian strikes on nine strategic sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Indian Rafales inflicted heavy damage. In military terms, Quwa concedes, these results raise questions. One of the contributing factors was a misjudgement by Indian forces regarding the range of China's PL-15 missiles, a gap in calculation that Pakistan used to its advantage. Even then, say Indian analysts, PAF's performance could only be counted as successful if it had prevented India's deep-penetration airstrikes, not merely retaliated after the fact. A Legacy That Still Shapes Air Battles Pakistan's narrative of victory, critics say, may not hold up under scrutiny. But the story that emerges from Quwa's reporting is not about flashy dogfights or headline-grabbing missile launches. It is about how a 70-year-old framework continues to define one of South Asia's most professionalised air forces. In the end, as Quwa puts it, it was not Chinese, but American 'software' (a system of discipline, structure and long-term strategic thinking) that made the real difference.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Indian dance troupe mesmerises packed auditorium in Israel
Haifa (Israel), Aug 4 (PTI) India enthusiasts in Israel descended on the northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa on Monday evening to witness a rich and impressive dance performance that blended the traditional Indian dance form of Odissi with modern styles, including fusion, Bollywood, urban dance and even some shades of Middle-Eastern influences. Young dancers from the Indian dance troupe Amaiza, founded by dancer and choreographer Nitisha Nanda, known for her appearances in leading reality shows 'So You Think You Can Dance India" and 'India's Got Talent", gave a captivating performance in front of a packed Beit Aba Hushi auditorium, with the 500 people in the audience often cheering in delight. The Embassy of India in Israel, in collaboration with the Haifa Municipality, the Indian Cultural Centre and the Port of Haifa, hosted the vibrant cultural event, 'celebrating the deepening friendship between India and Israel". The northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa has a deep connection with India, having been liberated from the Ottomans in 1918 by Indian soldiers, and Major Dalpat Singh is known as the 'Hero of Haifa" for leading a successful cavalry charge that shocked military historians by its sheer audacity. 'We were taught in school that the British liberated Haifa, but I later learned that it was Indian soldiers who shed their blood to free the city," Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav told the audience. 'Once a year, we gather at the city's cemetery to honour the Indian soldiers who gave their lives to protect us," Yahav said, emphasising the city's strong bond with India. 'The relationship between India and Israel, especially with the city of Haifa, is built on trust, mutual respect and lasting friendship," India's Ambassador to Israel, J P Singh, said. 'This cultural performance is dedicated to the people of Haifa, a city with which India shares deep historical bonds. During World War I, Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives in the Battle of the Liberation of Haifa," Singh stressed. Dalpat Singh made the ultimate sacrifice in that battle, which the Indian cavalry forces fought bravely under dire circumstances to inscribe their names in the last 'major cavalry charge in history". The performance in Haifa mesmerised the audience with its passion, precision and energy, showcasing both the traditional and contemporary spirit of Indian culture. It was an evening of colour, rhythm and movement — a powerful artistic experience that left a lasting impression on the Israeli audience. The event marked the festive launch of the troupe's Israel tour, with upcoming performances scheduled at Netanya on August 5, Or Akiva on August 6 and Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek on August 7. PTI HM RC view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 03:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
