The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC) has issued harsh criticism of the Malayalam film ‘Kaathal’ in which Mammootty plays the lead role. Secretary of the Vigilance Commission of KCBC, Father Dr. Michael Pulikal CMI, said in a press release that the film was totally against Christianity and the misuse of the background of Christian faith for the spreading ideas such as homosexuality was condemnable.
The full text of the declaration
Kaathal: art and decor
“Kaathal – the Core” is a Malayalam film featuring members of the Catholic community who oppose arguments for alternative sexual orientations, including homosexuality (LGBTQIA+). The film also discusses left-wing politics. Director Jeo Baby and screenwriters Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Scaria deserve applause for skillfully blending two contrasting backgrounds.
Beyond the film’s technical pros and cons, some facts become clear when analyzing the film’s subject matter, the ideas it presents, and its method. The first of these is the idea that homosexuality is a natural phenomenon and that people and society in general should accept gay rights. The second is indirect propaganda directed against the Christian community and the Christian faith. The overemphasis on sex is another aspect of the film’s plot.
What is significant is that such a story is presented in a rural Kerala setting, particularly in the context of a Christian family. The team members took special care to ensure that the Christian family background was not limited to the two names Mathew Devassy and Omana Philip. The film maintains a clear backdrop of Christian faith throughout by featuring a village called Theekoi in Kottayam district, a predominantly Christian area. Frequent church and prayer scenes, heroine Omana’s deep devotion to God, family prayers, and the family’s closeness to the parish priest are also depicted in the film. Although the hero Mathew is a left-wing fellow traveler, he is presented as a believer in God.
Alternative sexual orientation and activists
The influence of certain ideas propagated today in various ways under the label of progressive thought is evident in the film. There are organizations and activists all over the world working hard to promote LGBTQIA+ ideas and work for alternative sexual rights. Although such campaigns are not as prevalent in the general society in Kerala, frequent campaigns are centered on educational institutions. Ideas centered on homosexuality are often used by self-described progressives as arguments to proclaim themselves supporters of progressive ideas.
A few weeks ago, the Indian Supreme Court was asked to legalize same-sex marriage, like certain foreign countries. However, the court rejected the request. The central government has also taken a stand that same-sex marriage is not compatible with Indian culture and the concept of marriage. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes unnatural sexual relations, was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court in 2018. It was only after this development that demands for gay rights began to emerge in mainstream society. There are references in the film ‘Kaathal – The Core’ to IPC 377 which was struck down by the Supreme Court. In the film, this was portrayed as a proud and progressive gesture
Left-wing progressive politics
The film’s plot is told by associating the “progressive” idea of homosexuality with left-wing political ideology. While everyone in the film views homosexuality with disdain, left-wing political leaders support the hero. The basic idea that the film seeks to convey is the success and “glory” of this position. It is perhaps no coincidence that the film advances the idea that the Kerala left supports homosexuals at a time when misguided and unnatural propaganda about sexuality is being carried out by left-wing student movements in colleges. ‘education.
Anti-Christianity
We can rightly suspect that the makers of the film intended to call into question the moral values still forcefully defended by the Catholic Church. The first reason is that the setting of the film was chosen in the context of a Catholic family and a church. Even if religious origin was not a necessity for the concept presented by the film, one cannot assume that such a family was chosen without a specific purpose. A Catholic priest who thinks “progressively” is also a character in the film. It can be assumed that a family belonging to the Catholic community which rejects homosexuality was chosen as characters, with the aim of indirectly establishing that the position of the Church in this regard is wrong.
Another aspect of this film concerns members of the new generation who do not believe in God. The daughter of devout Mathew and Omana is a student who dislikes going to church and, as a “progressive” thinker, supports her father’s homosexuality. A mother who goes to church with her son whom she persuades to come by promising to serve him “tapioca and pork curry” when they return home, and the son who is a little boy, appear as characters.
We wonder if religious services bringing together only a few people, festive processions of 50 people maximum, etc., are an effort to save money or the “genius” of the director to present the vulnerability of the faithful. Also part of the film is the broad-mindedness of Omana, a devout believer who understands her husband’s homosexuality and “lovingly” lets him do what he wants.
It is clear that there is a conscious effort behind the film to raise an issue that is not a topic of wide discussion in the Kerala mainstream. Although the film does not have a bigger canvas than the director’s previous film “Great Indian Kitchen”, in which Suraj and Nimisha Sajayan played the lead roles, it is clearly another brilliant move by the director in choosing two of the best Indian artists as main actors. . The presence of the Mammootty-Jyothika duo allowed the film to increase its distribution on screens tenfold and also contributed to filling the theaters with spectators.
The Church believes that people of alternative sexual orientation should be treated with compassion. Neither the Christian community nor any morally conscious person can support the outrageous claims and interventions of sexual anarchists. However, we cannot agree with the basic ideas conveyed by the film, which often places too much emphasis on sex, instead of adapting the mature approach of considering sexual orientations and sexual instincts like two different questions. Misusing the background of the Christian faith for such propaganda is highly reprehensible.
