Rajeev Ravi and Manju Warrier opt out from the panel to draft film policy

Director Rajeev Ravi and actress Manju Warrier have decided to withdraw from a Kerala State Film Development Corporation panel constituted by the Kerala government to draft a new film policy.

The state government had appointed a 10-member panel, of which two prominent members have now backed out. Both Manju and Rajeev have informed Minister Saji Cherian about their decision.

Manju has reportedly told the minister that she has a busy shooting schedule because of which she needs to be excused from the committee.

Reports suggest that Rajeev is unhappy that he was included in the panel without being asked first. He has also shared his dissent with the government’s decision to appoint a separate panel to study the Hema Commission report.

The Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) hasn’t taken any decision so far on the inclusion of any new members to the panel. Nevertheless, the new policy is expected to be drafted before the conclave, which is scheduled to be held in September.

Earlier, the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and Film Chamber of Commerce had come forward against the decision of KSFDC. WCC had said that even though they appreciate the initiative of the government, they don’t approve of how the panel was constituted. They also criticised the lack of consultation with the appointed members before they were inducted into the panel.

G. Suresh Kumar, who heads the Film Chamber of Commerce, complained that trade bodies like the Producer’s Council, the Film Distributor’s Association, and the exhibitors were not consulted.

Meanwhile, Minister Saji Cherian has assured that all the decisions will be taken only at the mega conclave, which is to be held in three months. He also said that the conclave will have all the people associated with the film industry, from light boys to film directors.

The 10-member committee is chaired by director Shaji N Karun, who is also the chairman of KSFDC. Other members on the panel include Mukesh, Nikhila Vimal, Padma Priya, B Unnikrishnan and several others.