‘Teachers Used to Mock Me’: Director Vinayan Reveals Kalabhavan Mani Faced Caste Discrimination in School
Protests are intensifying following the death of Nithinraj, a BDS student who died by suicide after allegedly facing caste-based discrimination and harassment from his teachers. Authorities are expected to arrest the accused teachers soon.
Amid this incident, a revelation by filmmaker Vinayan about late actor Kalabhavan Mani has sparked widespread discussion. In a Facebook post, Vinayan shared that Kalabhavan Mani had opened up about experiencing caste-based discrimination from his teachers during his academic years.
According to Vinayan, Mani shared these painful memories during the shooting of the film ‘Karumadikkuttan’, which featured a story revolving around a person from a marginalized community.
In his post, Vinayan recounted Mani’s words: “He (Mani) said, ‘There is no discrimination based on caste or color in our country anymore; that is what teachers teach in schools. But there is one problem, sir. When exam results came in class, I always had low marks. Most of the time, I was at the bottom. The teacher would scold those without marks, but for some of us, he wouldn’t just scold—he would mock us. It was humiliating. When other students laughed at his remarks, the teacher would join in. He would often say that Dalits or those from marginalized communities were not meant for education. Hearing that felt deeply painful.'”
Vinayan expressed his sorrow, noting that Mani often felt disgusted with his own life due to these experiences.
Reflecting on the death of Nithinraj, Vinayan wrote: “When I heard the news of the dental student Nithinraj’s death, I was reminded of what Mani said. Are we still living in the 19th century? Those who preach, write, and teach about renaissance and progress must internalize it in their own minds. Dalits, scheduled castes, and indigenous communities deserve to be embraced by our society; they deserve it socially.”
Vinayan concluded his post by paying tribute to the late Nithinraj.