A promotional video that inadvertently gave the impression that the college campus is amiable to fostering 'love' prompted a Kerala church-run college in Kerala to withdraw it, according to The Indian Express.
Nirmala College in Ernakulam district’s Muvattupuzha removed the promotional video for the upcoming academic year after the college management deemed the video inappropriate, citing concerns over its portrayal of romantic relationships on campus.
The video, a mere one and a half minutes in duration, depicted a dream sequence unfolding within the college premises. A young man was seen courting a young woman in the tranquil ambience of the library, their interactions culminating in a stroll hand-in-hand, all set to the backdrop of the mellifluous strains of "Poomaname," a classic romantic melody from the 1985 Malayalam film repertoire, TIE report says.
Accompanying this visual narrative was an image of the cover of the Malayalam romantic novel "Inapravukal," followed by the message: “Reading opens your mind and ignites the imagination.” Yet, despite its artistic intent, the video sparked outrage within the college community and beyond.
Father Pius Malekandathil, the manager of Nirmala College, voiced regret over the misrepresentation portrayed in the video, asserting that it deviated from the institution's cherished values and cultural ethos. In a circular addressing the issue, Father Pius lamented, “The short video seemingly legitimizing a lax atmosphere in the college is far from reality. This is not the cultural and moral profile that we seek to maintain in the college.”
Dr. K V Thomas, the college principal, shed light on the genesis of the controversy, revealing that the video had been crafted by an external agency. "Soon after it appeared on social media platforms, we realized that the video would give the wrong message," Dr. Thomas remarked.
"The management also urged everyone not to circulate the video." He further emphasized the institution's commitment to upholding decorum and propriety, asserting, "The video gives a wrong impression that the college and its library are providing facilities for love affairs. We are responsible to the students and their parents. The college does not promote relations without boundaries."