'I might be old-fashioned, this was never even a topic of discussion back then'

Actor, director, and producer Prithviraj Sukumaran has clarified his stance on the ongoing language controversy. In an interview with a national media outlet, Prithviraj stated that the core of the nation is not uniformity but unity in diversity, something that many seem to have forgotten.

“Perhaps I might sound old-fashioned because I grew up in a time when this was never even a topic of discussion. I studied in a Sainik School and spent most of my school years there. I had many friends from northern states, and we all spoke different languages.

So, as a nation, that was only one part of who we were. Amidst these debates and discussions, I feel that the core of this great country is not uniformity but unity in diversity. I think we are forgetting the fact that we are not all the same, even within our differences.

Right now, I am waiting for a good script to come my way. If it comes from the Assamese industry, I will do it. If a Bhojpuri producer approaches me with an interesting story, I’d love to do that too. I’ve just come from the sets of a Telugu film, I’m now promoting a Hindi film, and tomorrow I will be heading to the shoot of a Malayalam film,” Prithviraj said.

“I don’t think anyone has a formula or method to predict what will work and what won’t. Every film we make is in the hope that it will connect with the audience — that’s why we make films in the first place.

We learn from our mistakes and try again. But we may fail again. That’s the only way forward. Even after working all these years, I know that nothing is permanent; everything depends on the next script I choose,” Prithviraj added.