Sanskrit film 'Priyamanasam' to open IFFI Panorama section

Sanskrit film 'Priyamanasam', which was rejected by the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) for allegedly promoting Hindutva ideology, is set to open the panorama section of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Directed by Vinod Mankara, 'Priyamanasam', the only third movie to be made in Sanskrit, is about the 17th century poet-scholar Unnayi Warrier.
The one-and-a-half-hour-long period film revolves around the mental conflicts and agonies experienced by Warrier while he had penned his magnum opus 'Nalacharitham' aattakkatha (Kathakali play).
Mankara said he was thrilled with the selection news but said contrary to the reports, his movie has nothing to do with Hindutva ideology.

"The film is not connected to any ideology. It is a pure art form and is related to music and art. It has nothing to do with that. I am very happy that the film has not only been selected at IFFI but it will open the Panorama section," Mankara told PTI.
When asked about the controversy surrounding the rejection of the film by IFFK over allegations that it promoted a certain ideology, Mankara said, "That's because the jury was not up to the mark. The people selecting the films there don't belong to cinema or journalism."

The director said he always wanted to make a film in Sanskrit as the language has been close to him since childhood. "I am a writer and journalist. Sanskrit music has been a big part of my childhood. It was not an easy film to make as it is the first Sanskrit movie to be made in 22 years. There are only two other Sanskrit films."

The other two Sanskrit films were -- Adi Shankaracharya (1983) and Bhagavad Gita (1993), directed by G V Iyer.
The 10-day-long IFFI will begin from November 20 this year.