Controversial choice irks Kollywood

Kollywood is furious with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry���s choice of Tamil films for the Indian Panorama section of the 39th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) - 2008.
The festival is to be held in Goa between November 22 and December 2.
The films selected are Billa, Kalloori, Kanchivaram and Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai (M3V). What has caused heartburn in the Tamil industry is the fact that the most talked about and critically acclaimed movies of the year ��� Mysskin���s Anjaathey and Sasikumar���s Subramaniapuram ��� have been excluded from the IFFI - 2008.
Says a leading Tamil film director on condition of anonymity, ���I���m shocked and deeply hurt by the IFFI Panorama selection committee���s whimsical selection of Tamil films.They have omitted trendsetting movies like Anjaathey and Subramaniapuram. These were realistic movies that showcased new trends in Tamil cinema. These movies should be taken to international audiences. Will the selection committee inform us why films like M3V and the commercial potboiler Billa, which is a remake of a Hindi film, were considered for such a prestigious film festival?���
An IFFI spokesperson said they did not want to be drawn into this controversy as the seven-member Jury for Feature Films, had named 25 films in various Indian languages after screening 104 films that were competing.
Sasikumar, the director of Subramaniapuram, said, ���I���m really not bothered, as my film has been lapped up by the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where the film just celebrated 75 days. The film has received some rave reviews from both local and international media and to me, this is more important than being selected for the Indian Panorama.���
A peeved Narain, the hero of Anjaathey said, ���I���m shocked that Anjaathey was not selected for the Indian panorama. Mysskin is one of our finest filmmakers who should be encouraged to make meaningful and realistic films.
Everybody who has seen the film has said it is one of the best films to have emerged out of the Tamil industry in recent times.���
Actor Prakash Raj, whose Kanchivaram was selected for the festival, says: ���On the one hand, I���m happy that my Kanchivaram has made it to IFFI at Goa. On the other, I���m sad that good films like Subramaniapuram and Anjaathey could not make it.���
Sreedhar Pillai