No takers for National Awards winning films

Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs, M.A. Baby admitted on Tuesday that four of the 2006 National Award winning films have not yet been released in theatres. The Minister told reporters that this lacuna will hopefully be set right with the help of Chalachitra Academy and the good offices of ace directors like Adoor Gopalakrishnan.

Earlier, the eminent director M.P Sukumaran, has voiced his unhappiness about the four films,Eakantham, Minukku, Drishtantham and Pulijanmam being confined to the cans. "What is the use of TV channels showing clips of these movies when they can never be seen on the big screen?" Sukumaran asked in an interview in one of the TV channels.

But Awards jury member Kireedam Unny explained that the movies in question failed to kindle any interest in the public and since theatres are not charitable institutions, one cannot blame them for not coming forward to screen these films.