IFFK censorship row: Former artistic director flags procedural lapses, warns against political spin

Amid public outrage over the Centre’s denial of censorship exemption to several films at the ongoing International IFFK (Film Festival of Kerala), former artistic director Deepika Suseelan on Wednesday said the controversy stemmed from procedural lapses by the organisers, cautioning against portraying the issue as political or ideological targeting.

Suseelan, who served as artistic director of the 27th IFFK in 2022, said misrepresenting administrative failures as censorship or political interference diverted attention from the core problem — failure to follow established timelines and protocol.

“If one is committed to freedom of expression and institutional integrity, the least expectation is adherence to protocol and timelines, not public grandstanding after administrative negligence,” she said in a Facebook post.

She explained that the censor exemption process is not instantaneous and typically requires at least one month, including time for clarifications sought by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B). As per established practice, she said, for a festival held in December, the list of films requiring exemption — along with synopses and related documents — must be submitted by the first week of November.

“The festival is expected to receive the exemption order at least 15 days before commencement,” she said, adding that reports indicate the KSCA (Kerala State Chalachitra Academy) submitted the application only in December.

The 30th IFFK, organised by the KSCA, began on December 12 and will conclude on December 19.

Quoting media reports, Suseelan said the KSCA initially received official communication from the I&B Ministry denying exemption to all submitted films, citing late submission as the sole reason. She added that if exemption is denied, there are clear and lawful avenues available to contest the decision — provided applications are made well in advance.

“Instead of pursuing due process, the organisers seem to have opted for public outrage, which raises serious questions about intent. If the objective was a PR stunt, then the purpose has been served,” she alleged.

Suseelan warned that the alleged mishandling could have long-term consequences for the festival, including heightened scrutiny and tighter controls on future editions. “The damage caused here will not be easy to undo,” she said, adding that using the festival platform for publicity at the expense of audiences and filmmakers was irresponsible.

Earlier, the I&B Ministry had denied censor exemption to 19 films, later clearing four of them. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday directed the KSCA to ensure that all films scheduled for the festival are screened.

Meanwhile, the absence of KSCA chairman Resul Pookutty during the festival due to prior commitments abroad has drawn criticism from sections of the film fraternity.

Veteran director and former KSCA chairman Kamal said the situation could have been avoided, while filmmaker Dr Biju noted that it was the first time an IFFK was being held without either a chairman or an artistic director present, calling it “disappointing”.