100 years of Indian Cinema Celebration: Upset Leelavathi Speaks
News
oi-Sandesh
By Sandesh
With
each
passing
day,
100
years
of
Indian
Cinema
Celebration
is
becoming
more
controversial.
It
is
well
known
fact
that
many
in
the
industry
were
upset
with
the
organisers
as
they
were
mere
importance.
It
was
reported
that
the
organisers
insulted
Kannada
veteran
actress
Leelavathi
and
Jayamala.
The
event
was
held
in
Jawaharlal
Nehru
Indoor
Stadium,
Chennai,
from
September
21-24.
Initially,
Kannada
industry,
expressed
their
anger
towards
the
event
for
neglecting
Kannada
actors
and
Karnataka
Chief
Minister
in
the
invite.
Leelavathi,
who
was
back
in
Bangalore
after
the
event,
expressed
her
unhappiness
towards
the
organising
committee
of
the
Indian
Cinema
Centenary
Celebrations.
Earlier,
it
was
said
that
the
actress
name
was
included
in
the
honours'
list,
but
in
the
venue
she
was
not
allowed
inside
by
organisers
claiming
she
was
late.
Talking
about
the
issue
to
a
leading
News
Channel,
Leelavathi
said,
"I
was
invited
by
Karnataka
Chalanachitra
Academy
in
the
last
day
of
the
event,
to
receive
felicitation
from
President
Pranab
Mukherjee."
"As
it
was
clearly
stated
by
the
organisers
to
be
on-time,
me
and
my
son
Vinod
Raj
reached
the
venue
at
4
in
the
evening,
but
police
officials
didn't
let
me
inside.
I
called
up
the
representatives
from
Kannada
film
industry,
but
there
was
no
response
from
any
one," she
added.
Continue
reading
the
story
on
slides...
Leelavathi
Didn't
Have
Money!
Leelavathi
said,
"I
was
very
happy
to
take
part
in
the
event.
As
we
were
not
having
sufficient
money
to
go
to
Chennai,
we
sold
the
vegetables
and
coconuts,
which
we
had
grown
in
our
farm
house
and
went
to
Chennai."
Leelavathi
Cried
Leelavathi
said
that
she
cried
when
she
was
in
OMR
street,
Chennai.
She
said,
"Chennai
is
not
new
to
me,
I
was
here
for
many
years.
But,
I
was
hurt
to
return
empty
hand."
Organisers
Didn't
Provide
Food
Pass
"They
also
refused
to
give
the
dinner
pass,
I
didn't
expect
this
treatment
from
any
one
in
our
industry.
I
went
to
get
the
award,
but
I
returned
with
tears,"
Leelavathi
addded.
Life
Time
Achievement
Leelavathi's
son
Vinod
Raj
said,
"They
had
said
that
my
mother
will
be
felicitated
by
Life
Time
Achievement
Award,
but
this
incident
made
her
cry."
Disrespect
To
Jayamala
It
is
said
that
actress
Jayamala
was
called
upon
stage
to
receive
honour,
and
later
she
was
sent
back
by
saying
her
name
is
not
there
in
the
list.
Cheap
Politics
By
Jayalalithaa
Sources
said
that
Tamil
Nadu
Chief
Minister,
Jayalalithaa
has
played
cheap
politics
in
the
name
of
event.
Sources
added,
"Why
did
they
print
her
photo
in
the
invite,
when
it
is
organised
by
South
Indian
Film
Chamber
of
Commerce?"
S
Narayan
Targeted
Kannada
director
S
Narayan,
who
was
also
in-charge
of
the
Kannada
industry
for
the
event
is
blamed
for
this
incident.
However,
Narayan
cleared,
"It
was
clearly
said
for
the
people
to
be
on
time,
hope
Leelavathi
was
not
aware
of
this.
I
did
not
prepare
the
honours' list."