'I apologize': Ramesh Narayan clarifies award incident with Asif Ali
What's the story
In an unexpected incident at the Manorathangal trailer launch event on Monday (July 15), renowned music composer Ramesh Narayan declined to accept a memento from actor Asif Ali.
The pre-release event was organized by the creators of Manorathangal, an upcoming anthology based on short stories by iconic Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair.
Narayan, who composed the music for the show, requested filmmaker Jayarajan to present him with the memento instead.
Here's why.
Social media reaction
Viral video sparked backlash against Narayan
The incident was captured on video and quickly spread across social media platforms, leading to significant backlash against Narayan.
As Ali stepped down from the stage to hand over the memento, Narayan surprised everyone by declining to accept the honor from him.
A user took to X/Twitter to share the video of the incident and commented: "Very poor etiquette from him. Asif kept his happy demeanor despite the snub."
Twitter Post
Take a look at this viral clip here
Ramesh Narayan
— Mohammed Ihsan (@ihsan21792) July 15, 2024refuses to take award from #AsifAli. Very poor etiquettefrom him. Asif kept his happy demeanour despitethe snub.#Manorathangal#Mindscapes#Mammootty#Mohanlal#FahadhFaasilpic.twitter.com/JwPSn1F56X
Clarification
Narayan issued a clarification, saying 'I haven't insulted Ali'
Speaking to the press, Narayan expressed his willingness to apologize to Ali, stating, "I have not insulted him. I apologize if you feel that way."
"I did not hear the announcement and didn't know that Ali was presenting the award. It was Jayaraj who invited me to the film. But when all the directors were invited on stage, I was not invited. It felt bad."
Narayan clarified: "I didn't try to insult anyone based on a superiority complex or something."
Trailer launch
'Manorathangal' trailer was unveiled amid controversy
The trailer for Manorathangal was unveiled at the event after much anticipation.
The 106-second trailer begins with Kamal Haasan introducing the legacy of Nair and offers glimpses into various segments from the anthology featuring actors like Mohanlal and Mammootty.
Manorathangal comprises nine films, each directed by a prominent filmmaker including Ollavum Theeravum (Priyadarshan), Abhyam Theedi Vendum (Santosh Sivan ASC, ISC), and Kadalkkattu (Rathish Ambat).
Each segment is distinctively set in different terrains and periods, showcasing the diversity of stories.
Show details
'Manorathangal': A star-studded anthology series
Manorathangal features a stellar lineup of actors such as Haasan, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Fahadh Faasil, Biju Menon, and Ali.
A large group of seasoned Malayalam actors included in the ensemble cast are Nadiya Moidu, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Indrajith, Aparna Balamurali, Harish Uthaman, Shanthi Krishna, Joy Mathew, Kailash, Indrans, Renji Panicker, Surabhi Lakshmi, Siddique, Ishit Yamini, and Naseer Sanskranthy.
Each segment of the project is penned by Jnanpith Award-winning author and screenwriter-director Nair.