Adimadhyantham, the Malayalam film which sparked much controversy after its inclusion in the competition section of the 16th International Film Festival of Kerala, has been taken out of the section.
IFFK director and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Chairman Priyadarshan said that the film was removed because the director had given false declaration while submitting the film for entry in the festival.
Regulations of film selection for the 16th IFFK state that selection of films for competition is at the discretion of the review committee set up by the Academy. However, the Chairman of the Academy as Director of the Festival has a special right to waive any condition for participation in the competition.
The 16th edition of the festival started appearing in the news for wrong reasons after Adimadhyantham was selected for screening under the competition section. A deputy director of IFFK Sajitha Madathil stars in the film.
It was alleged that the incomplete version of the film was submitted to the selection committee. But the jury chairman K. Kunjikrishnan said that the DVD submitted to the jury had the final version of the film. Minister for Forests and Cinema maintained that the film was incomplete and was not eligible to be considered in the competition section.
With Adimadhyantham out of the line up, the number of films to be screened under the competition section has been reduced to 13.
Meanwhile, the producers of the film have moved the High Court against the Chairman’s decision.
