Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 (BPNS)
Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran has apologized to those who may have been offended by a dialogue in his latest released film Kaduva. The expression of regret follows after widespread criticism that the said dialogue not only insults differently-abled people but also it hurts the sentiments of their parents. The actor in a Facebook post said that it was a mistake and the film crew acknowledges and accepts it. The actor said this while sharing a post of the film’s director Shaji Kailas. The other day, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities SH Panchapakesan sought an explanation after receiving a complaint.
In the film, the protagonist is found delivering a dialogue that differently-abled children take birth as a result of their parents’ sin. This courted controversy as activists, differently-abled persons, and parents of such persons found these lines in bad taste.
Taking note of the same, Shaji Kailas in a Facebook post said that he is tendering an unconditional apology and added that at no point it was thought that the dialogue would hurt the sentiments of parents having children with disabilities.
“It was a human error and I plead guilty. There was never such intention on the part of the director, scriptwriter, or protagonist to hurt the sentiments. While writing such a line, the intention only was to project the evilness of the villain. The impact this dialogue would have created was never thought of then,” said Shaji Kailas.
It was R Viswanathan, general secretary of Parivar Kerala, an association of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities that approached the State Commissionerate for Persons with Disabilities citing that this dialogue in ‘Kaduva’ is an offense as per section 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It has been pointed out that the dialogue intentionally insults or intimidates with the intent to humiliate a person with a disability in any place within public view. The section that deals with punishment for offenses of atrocities envisage imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with a fine.
Earlier, ‘Kaduva’ was in the news after the Central Board of Film Certification directed the makers of the film to change the name of the protagonist after considering the petition of Jose Kuruvinakunnel. It is rumored that the movie is inspired by the life of Jose Kuruvinakunnel who is popular as Kuruvachan in Pala.
