Latest news with #SibiMalayil
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
M.B. Padmakumar's emotional outburst after Sibi Malayil's shocking remarks: "You threw sand in my rice bowl"
There has been a huge controversy in the Malayalam film industry involving two popular directors, Sibi Malayil and M. Padmakumar . It broke out after Sibi Malayil had said a few negative words regarding Padmakumar's new film Janaki vs State of Kerala, which greatly pained Padmakumar. He shared an emotional video response, come, let's see what he has to say about this. The controversy centers around two prominent figures in Malayalam cinema —veteran director Sibi Malayil and filmmaker M.B. Padmakumar. Sibi Malayil is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed directors in the industry, known for his powerful, emotive storytelling that has shaped Malayalam cinema over the decades. On the other hand, M.B. Padmakumar is celebrated for his socially conscious and emotionally charged films, earning a reputation as a hardworking and sincere filmmaker deeply committed to meaningful cinema. The Controversy Between Them According to the reports of TheIndianExpress, the disagreement began during a discussion around the current censorship issues related to the film Janaki vs State of Kerala, where the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanded a change in the film's title. While commenting on this controversy, Sibi Malayil also brought up upcoming film Token Number directed by padmakumar referring to it as a 'small film' meant for festivals and 'award purposes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo ' Emotional Video Response Padmakumar was deeply hurt by these remarks. He shared an emotional video response via his official YouTube channel titled "Just kill me, Mr Sibi Malayil". In the video, Padmakumar strongly objected to his film being called a 'small' or 'award film.' He questioned whether Sibi Malayil had even watched his movie before passing such remarks. Padmakumar also expressed that how he had put in immense effort, seven months of hard work, sleepless nights, and financial investment into making 'Token Number'. He said the film was not made just for awards but for audiences and theatres and calling it 'small' was insulting and deeply discouraging. Padmakumar's Point of View What hurt Padmakumar even more was the real-life consequences he had to face because of Sibi Malayil's comment. A film distributor, who had initially agreed to release Token Number, withdrew after hearing that it was an 'award film', he shared how this remark cost him an opportunity to release his film and threatened his livelihood. He said, 'You threw sand in my rice bowl,' meaning that Sibi's words directly impacted his film career. Criticism of Large Production Houses Padmakumar also pointed out how difficult it is for independent filmmakers in the film industry. He criticized how people in power often ignore or look down on small budget films made without big stars or large production houses. He said it's easy for top directors to speak from comfortable positions, but creators like him have to struggle to make their voices heard. He called out this inequality and urged people not to judge a film without watching it. Even after all this, Padmakumar said he won't give up. He plans to release Token Number on his own, by renting screens and promoting it independently. He challenged Sibi Malayil to watch the film before making any judgments. He added that if people honestly feel the film is bad after watching it, he will stop making movies altogether. But until then, he just wants a fair chance for his work to be seen and appreciated.
News18
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Janaki VS State of Kerala: MB Padmakumar Slams Sibi Malayil Over ‘Small Film' Remark
According to the director, the matter was resolved quietly because the film was a 'small film" aimed at festivals. Padmakumar, deeply offended by the remarks, responded emotionally via a video titled 'Just kill me, Mr Sibi Malayil" posted on his YouTube channel. He accused the veteran director of belittling his work and negatively impacting his film's release. 'Who told Sibi Malayil sir that my film is a 'small film' or an 'award film'? If there are no superstars or if it's not a big-budget film, it automatically becomes a small film, is that it? And the audience shouldn't see it, sir?" Padmakumar said in the video. The filmmaker also criticised the CBFC for what he described as a prejudiced decision-making process. 'Isn't this exactly what the Censor Board also did? Didn't they approach it with prejudice without even watching the film? Do you know something, sir? This is a film I made by toiling for the last seven months, sacrificing my food and sleep," he said. He further alleged that Sibi's comments had caused a distributor, who had initially agreed to release the film, to withdraw support and snatch their chance at a theatrical release. He was heard saying, 'After all was done, I finally got the film censored. I got it done, feeling defeated and scared. After that, it had to reach theatres, but it had no superstars. Without superstars, it's incredibly difficult to get a theatre screen, no distributor comes forward." 'With great difficulty and by paying from my own pocket, I had arranged for a person to distribute it. But do you know what the distributor told me after hearing your comment? He called me and said, 'You told that this was a big film. But now Sibi Malayil himself has said it's a small film. I am not investing in an award film.' Sir, you have thrown sand in my rice bowl," Padmakumar added.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza to be suspended over drug case, CONFIRMS FEFKA president
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) President Sibi Malayil has confirmed that directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza will be suspended following their recent arrest in connection with a drug-related case. Suspension in response to rising drug concerns The directors were arrested by the excise department for allegedly possessing hybrid ganja. The arrest took place after a raid on a flat in Kochi early on Sunday morning, where 1.5 grams of the drug was seized. The flat, reportedly rented by cinematographer Sameer Thahir, was raided by the excise team around 2 am. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo FEFKA's action to tackle drug abuse Talking to On Manorama, Sibi Malayil emphasized that this suspension is part of a broader initiative to curb the increasing concerns of drug use within the Malayalam film industry. He stated that, as there are several cases of an increase in drug abuse inside the Malayalam film industry, they have decided to take strict action. A seven-member committee established FEFKA has been actively working on improving internal monitoring, and as part of this effort, a seven-member committee has been stationed at film locations since March to keep a check on drug use. The popular director Siby Malayil also referred to a previous instance when a makeup artist caught using drugs was suspended under FEFKA's guidance. Cooperation with law enforcement The FEFKA president further assured that the organization would fully cooperate with law enforcement in any investigations related to drug use in the industry. Despite the suspension, Khalid Rahman and Ashrad Hamza were later released on station bail. Alappuzha Gymkhana | Song - Panjara Punch On the other hand, Khalid Rahman's recent outing was the entertainer film 'Alappuzha Gymkhana', which received a decent 3.5-star rating from ETimes. The Naslen starrer also raked in good numbers at the box office.
