'Chemeen insulted fishers': Protest against 50th anniversary of classic film

The influential Dheevara Sabha,  the biggest community organisation of fisherfolk in Kerala, has opposed the 50th-anniversary celebrations of classic film Chemeen, alleging that the movie is an insult to the fishing community. V Dinakaran, a top leader of the Dheevara Sabha, warned the state Culture Department against organising the anniversary of the film. 

The film Chemmeen insults fishers and fishing community as a whole. Dheevara Sabha will protest against any attempt to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film, said Dinakaran, the state general secretary of Dheevara Sabha and chairman of Matsyafed, the apex federation of cooperative societies in the fisheries sector. 

The state government has elaborate plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chemmeen, a film based on the novel written by Gyanpeeth winner Thakazhi Shivasankara Pillai. Released in 1965 and starring Madhu, Satyan, Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair and Sheela, the romantic tragedy, set in the backdrop of the fishing community in Alappuzha, is one of the evergreen hits in Mollywood. It was also the first South Indian film to receive President's Gold Medal for best film. It was also awarded in Chicago International Film Festival and at Cannes. 

Chemmeen can be called one of the rare popular classic film in Malayalam. Interestingly, it was  also the first Malayalam film that vividly portrayed the life, beauty and misery of fisherfolk. 

Though it won accolades in national and international festivals and is considered one among the top 100 films in India, controversies had plagued the film since the making. Even though Ramu Kariat, the director of the film, wanted the film to be shot in the fishing villages of Alappuzha where the novel is set, he could not fulfil his wish as local people did not cooperate with him.  Later had to shoot the film in Thrissur. 

• Chemeen film
• fisher folk insulted
• Mollywood