Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has given a warning to The Kerala Story’s team. He took to his official Twitter handle and penned a long note.
Vivek tweeted, “CINEMA AND INDIC RENNIASANCE: The Kerala Story. I grew up listening to great filmmakers and cinema critics that the only purpose of art is to provoke people into questioning their own beliefs and biases. I also grew up listening that cinema reflects the reality of a society. I was told that cinema must destroy old Gods and create new Gods.”
The filmmaker also mentioned, “I have come to realise that in modern times cinema has the power to do what media and politics can’t do. It can present uncomfortable reality, correct history, fight culture war and also become the soft power of a nation for larger interest. In India, making such cinema is not easy. I tried it with Buddha in A Traffic Jam, The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files. I have been physically, professionally, socially and psychologically assaulted.”
Further, he added, “Even my forthcoming film The Vaccine War, a positive film, celebrating India’s greatest achievement, is constantly being attacked. Mostly by the same people who taught me all the above. When it releases, later this year, I can guarantee they will attack it with a new design because they don’t want India to succeed. Because Truth must not be told. Bharat must not be celebrated. Vipul Shah & @sudiptoSENtlm, @adah_sharma and team of #TheKeralaStory, first let me congratulate you for the brave effort. At the same time, let me also give you the bad news that from here on, your lives will not be the same. You will receive unimaginable hate. Your will feel suffocated. Many times you may get confused and demoralised. But remember, God tests the shoulders on which he can put the responsibility of becoming the change agents.”
The filmmaker concluded his post, “If cinema is a medium to follow your course of Dharma, never stop. Let the community of Indic storytellers grow. Help new, young talented, Indic storytellers. Let this Indic Renaissance become the guiding light of a New Bharat. And whenever you feel nobody is understanding you, remember Gurudev’s lines: Ekla Chalo Re (Go forward alone). Best. Always. With love, VRA.”
Here’s what Vivek Agnihotri tweeted
CINEMA AND INDIC RENNIASANCE:#TheKeralaStory
I grew up listening to great filmmakers and cinema critics that the only purpose of art is to provoke people into questioning their own beliefs and biases.
I also grew up listening that cinema reflects the reality of a society.
I…
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) May 6, 2023