Kochi, Sept 15: Renowned film personality
Padmashree M S Sathyu, who had directed films with political
themes, including the famous 'Garam Hawa' on the Partition,
today said that India had made a mistake soon after
independence by not allowing a plebiscite in Kashmir.
"They asked for a plebiscite, but they (Jawahar Lal
Nehru) did not give. We should have given them the chance. We
suppressed them," Sathyu told reporters here.
Expressing regret over the serial bomb blasts in Delhi
and the attacks on minorities in Karnataka, Sathyu said
innocent people were being killed. "A time has come when all
issues whether concerning Pakistan or related to Kashmir must
be settled through discussions," he said.
"We should sort out all issues. How long we can live in
uncertainty. We need to settle all the issues as we are
living in a civilised society," Sathyu, the Leftist
intellectual, said.
"It is for the people of Kashmir to decide on their
future. Whether they want to stay independently or want to go
with Pakistan, the people of Kashmir have to decide," he said.
On corruption, he said "the politicians are so corrupt,
no matter which party they belong to".
Replying to a query on whether corruption affects the
Left also, Sathyu said "yes. It is not the same Left that was
there before. But amongst the rest of the parties, when
compared, it is less.
"They are better off. Then there is also a kind of
ideological dogma and I would call that also as corruption',
he said.
Sathyu, who is here in connection with the
inauguration of national festival of plays by Kavalam Narayana
Panikkar, said in television or the cinema, there was no
direct contact between the performing artists and the
audience.
"It is only in theatre that it is possible and that is
why theatres will always survive and all performing arts will
survive when it is a live performance."
Emphasising the need for a 'Performing Art Centre' in
Ernakulam, Sathyu said "what is the government doing about
it? If they have one they will be encouraging lot of
performing art in Ernakulam, like the Nehru Centre in Mumbai
or the NCPA or Habitat in Delhi".
Acting in front of a live audience is always exciting
for any actor, he said, adding it was good that people were
coming back to the theatre.
Asked whether the lack of new plays is a handicap, he
agreed.
"I do not see in Kerala anybody writing new plays. In
Marathi, Kannada, Bengali and Hindi we have plays. The writers
are looking for money and that is why they go to television
and write because there is ready money," he said.
Sathyu's Garam Hawa has won several national awards
in 1974, including a National Integration Award. It was
invited for the competitive section at Cannes and was also the
Indian entry at the Oscars. It bagged the filmfare award
for best screenplay.
Sathyu is currently involved with a Kannada film
'Ijjodu', in which Meera Jasmine plays the role of a devadasi
or temple courtesan.
Bureau Report
