Sudipto Sen directed the first instalment of The Kerala Story. In an exclusive conversation with midday, the filmmaker got candid about his experience with the film and also reacted to the sequel.
Sudipto Sen talks about his experience with The Kerala Story
Sudipto Sen is known for backing his films with research, he chooses topics which are often a mirror to society. While sharing his former experiences with The Kerala Story, the filmmaker mentioned how such strong stories often fall under trolls and threats, sharing an anecdote he mentioned, “When the film was released, my limbs, hands, every part of my body was a prized bounty due to which for sometime I was under security. As the threats were quite serious. However, amid all the hate there was a larger group of audience who showered us with immense love that made us feel safe to tell such stories.”
Sudipto detailed on how they didn`t spend on promoting The Kerala Story, instead spent on this, “When we made the film, I must tell you that we didn`t spend anything on its promotions. Already the film was made in a limited budget and all of our spending went in the court case. And that is what brought the film in front of the viewers. I believe no filmmaker should go through such a process where their work leads to a court hearing. All I say is that one must first watch the film before making judgements about it.”
Recalling an anecdote regarding the constant social media trolling, the filmmaker mentioned, “When the film`s promo was released, there was a young girl from Kerala who had sent me long notes on my social media handle abusing me for misinterpreting their religion. However, after the film was released in May after a 2 month long battle, the girl again messaged me. And this time, I was quite emotional reading the first word, she called me `bhaiya` and apologised, mentioning that the film was actually a message that helped people see how the religion was being misused by people.”
Reacts to the legal battle for The Kerala Story 2
Sudipto Sen even reacted to the recent controversy around The Kerala Story 2, sharing his views he mentioned, “A legal battle for a film does put the filmmakers under pressure. One mustn`t go through it, as it kills the person. You must watch the film before taking such a route. I can`t say much about the sequel as I haven`t watched the film yet. But every film must get a chance to be released for the viewers to decide.”
Sudipto Sen is known for picking topics that are sensitive to the viewers and may hurt sentiments of few, on navigation the tough path, he mentioned, “I am making the films with the intention to hurt those who are on the other side of the truth. It is all about showcasing the reality beyond the set norms and superstitions. So if you are getting hurt by watching my film then you are on the other side.”