At a state backed film conclave in Kerala, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, a legendary director, criticised the state’s decision to fund SC/ST and women filmmakers. He said it would lead to corruption and SC/ST filmmakers should be given “intense training”. 

His remarks are not an isolated misstep, and it is not the first time he has landed in controversy. It comes from a long pattern of exclusion in Malayalam cinema - right from its first heroine Rosy being outcasted for her caste. 

In this week’s Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna examines the caste lines in Malayalam and Tamil cinema, traces the history and breaks down the moments when the industries challenged caste norms. 

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