Kerala: Political leaders react to Kalamandalam Sathyabhama's casteist remark against male Mohiniyattam dancer
Kalamandalam Sathyabhama Jr triggered controversy after she made a casteist slur against dancer Dr RLV Ramakrishnan in an interview on a YouTube Channel.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: Political leaders including VD Satheesan, Saji Cherian, and others have extended support to Ramakrishnan for the remarks made by Kalamandalam Sathyabhama. She disparagingly remarked that Ramakrishnan had the complexion of a crow and was unfit for Mohiniyattam. She made the controversial remark during a YouTube channel interview.
VD Satheeshan expressed his opinion on a Facebook post by stating that " Art is important, not color". Education Minister V Sivankutty also came forward to support Ramakrishnan.
Meanwhile, the DYFI has announced a protest against remarks by Sathyabhama today. The DYFI stated that they will provide a platform for Ramakrishnan to perform Mohiniyattam and will organize a protest this evening.
Ramakrishnan said that there would be a big terror situation if people with such upper-class thinking established themselves in the cultural field and that people including late actor Kalabhavan Mani had faced such abuse. Meanwhile, Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, in a statement to Asianet News, maintained that while she did not specifically name anyone, she stands by her remarks.
Sathyabhama's controversial remark:
"A Mohini should always play Mohiniyattam. If you look at him, he has the colour of a crow. Mohiniyattam is an art form with parted feet. There is nothing more awkward than a man playing with his legs crossed. According to me, men who play Mohiniyattam must have beauty. Are there no beautiful men? If you see him, the God and his mother won't be able to tolerate this."
