Mangaluru: Noted film director Girish Kasaravalli has backed actor Prakash Rai for his tweets against the establishment. While Rai’s perceived online activism has earned him the wrath of Hindu chauvinistic organizations and thecadre of a national political party, Kasaravalli avers such opinions are only a reflection of an actor being the conscience keeper of society, and not accepting everything that is bandied about as truth by the establishment.

Kasaravalli, winner of 14 national film awards, in an informal chat with on the sidelines of a function tofete actor Kasaragod Chinna, said actors are an integral part of society and do not reside in a vacuum. Political developments affect all and it is natural for actors to respond to them, he said, adding that Prakash Rai has done just that with his tweets on the Gujarat elections and other political happenings.

Averring that the establishment sold decisions taken by the central government such as demonetization and introduction of GST as gamechangers, Kasaravalli said citizens are yet to realize the full benefits of such measures, and have endured hardships in the short to medium term.

These and other issues have been widely commented on at various levels and even actors, including Prakash Rai, have reacted to the same in their individual capacities, Kasaravalli said.

The only distinction that actors, including Rai, should make, is that one who takes on the establishment should do so in their individual capacity and not as affiliates of any political party, Kasaravalli said.

Rai was in the crosshairs of BJP workers when he came to receive the award at Kota, instituted in memory of litterateur Kota Shivarama Karanth recently, and also when he was invited to inaugurate the Karavali Utsav on Friday. Rai had taken on his detractors at both functions with conviction, and police in both places had ensured that political party workers and those from their affiliateorganizations brought no harm to Rai.