Producer Supriya Menon has responded to criticism surrounding her comments on the use of English in public spaces. She said her remarks were being interpreted without considering the larger point she was making. The producer also questioned the lack of basic fact-checking in some media reports.The controversy emerged after a promotional event for ‘Aasha’ featured an exchange between actor Urvashi and presenter Daksha Raveendranath over the use of English. The interaction led to discussions about Malayalam pride, language preferences and the perception surrounding people who speak English in public.
Supriya Menon joins the English language debate
Supriya Menon entered the discussion after responding to an Instagram video shared by creator and commentator Carl Lafrenais. Her comment read, “I don’t understand this constant debate about speaking in English. As someone who has been at the receiving end of this since the time I entered public space here I am always confused by this.We send our kids to english medium schools and colleges. Our people move abroad at the drop of a hat and we form some of the largest diaspora worldwide. Yet when someone speaks in English why is it considered to be a mark of haughtiness or arrogance? Why must language pride in Malayalam reduce if one communicates in another language. Baffling indeed.”
Her comments face criticism online
Supriya Menon’s remarks soon attracted criticism on social media. Some people interpreted the statement as a response to Urvashi’s comments at the ‘Aasha’ promotional event. The interpretation led to further discussion about whether Supriya Menon’s remarks were aimed at the veteran actor.
Supriya Menon hits back at media reports
Supriya Menon later addressed the criticism through another response connected to Carl Lafrenais’ Instagram post. She questioned how her original statement had been presented and criticized certain media reports.“Am I surprised? Not really! Twisting words out of context! Nothing new here! But noted media houses not even doing basic fact checks. What a shame, the press here has come to!” she said.
What happened at the ‘Aasha’ event
The language debate can be traced back to an interaction between Daksha Raveendranath and Urvashi during the promotional event for ‘Aasha’. Daksha introduced Urvashi in English before the actor responded in Malayalam.Urvashi playfully questioned why an English introduction was necessary. She later spoke about the importance of using Malayalam with affection, suggesting that communicating in the language would make it easier for everyone to understand. The exchange soon circulated on social media and triggered differing reactions.On the other hand, amid the controversies, the Urvashi starrer ‘Asha’ is getting good reviews from the audiences, especially for the veteran actor’s performance.
