CPM will support alternative cinema, says Balakrishnan

CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan on Tuesday said that his party would stand in support of the alternative cinema which is facing threats of boycott from the regressive forces.

“Tamil cinema is started moving towards alternative themes bringing out real-life struggles of ordinary and oppressed people and against growing communalism in the country. It is a welcome trend. But, there are some regressive groups that are threatening the movie makers during the movie release. We assure you that we will stand in support of you and against those creating troubles,” Balakrishnan said at the felicitation of Jai Bhim movie makers and real-life fighters.

Jai Bhim starring Suriya is directed by TJ Gnanavel and produced by the actor himself and his wife Jyothika. The movie is based on a real-life lockup murder of Rajakannu who belongs to the nomadic tribe Kuravar community in Muthanai village in Cuddalore in 1993. Surya played the role of lawyer Chandru (who later become Madras High Court judge) fighting for the justice of the custodial murder of Rajakannu. CPM took up the murder of Rajakannu and fought for justice along with the victim’s wife Parvathi.

Jai Bhim director Gnanvel said that he did not plan to make a movie on the Communist party movement. “I was researching on the human rights violation issues in Cuddalore during the 1990s and collecting details of 13 such incidents. In all the 13 rights violation incidents, CPM was for the justice of the victims,” he said.

The journalist turned movie maker said that if the communal forces in the country have to be defeated, all the colours red, black and blue should come together.

K Govindan, a local CPM leader, who registered the first protest on the Rajakannu case, said “I received a lot of threats from the police. I decided not to get married until the case got over.”