Addressing a press conference convened to announce the judging committee of the Kerala State Film Awards, 1998, B Raveendran, academy secretary and Meera Sahib, executive director of International Film Festival of Kerala, said a propaganda was being carried out, aimed at maligning the objectives of the academy and its office-bearers.

Reiterating that this propaganda was a sequel to efforts that resulted in the ouster of Karun from the KSFDC, they said that persons both inside and outside the academy were behind these charges, ``which are utterly baseless''.

Citing reports in a section of the press that serious differences of opinion prevailed between Meera Sahib and himself, Raveendran said that unnecessary political colour was being given to these charges just to make them appear morerealistic.

Stating that they were not active members of any political party, Raveendran said there were larger plots targeted at Shaji.

Opining that this was an effort to undermine the academy's efforts to inculcate a new film-awareness among the masses, they expressed the hope that none of this would affect its functioning.

Emphasising the need for a new attitude towards film appreciation, Raveendran said it would be the academy's endeavour to take films to the grass-roots level ``with a view of preventing the onslaught of commercial movies from the West''.

Giving details of the envisaged plan of action, he said that compact discs of several classics have been made. The academy has also bought a new CD projector, he said.

The Government has already sanctioned a token amount for setting up a film archive and more funds are expected in the Budget, Raveendran said. Other plans include setting up of an International Film Centre with a special section for children's films. The blueprint for this isready and construction will begin once the necessary land is provided, he said.

About the award committee, John Sankaramangalam, vice-chairman of the academy, said that the panel was constituted with the specific intention of making a controversy-free judgment.

But a demand is gaining momentum that academy council members K G George, Mammooty and Sreenivasan should resign, as their movies are also in the reckoning. Opining that controversy has become a part of State Film Awards, John Sankaramangalam said the academy has adopted a transparent process in order to avert any possible dispute over the jury's decision.

The panel for selecting the best film will be headed by Balu Mahendra. The members are Mohan, Renu Saluja, O K Johny, A T Ummer, C P Padma Kumar and Raghunath Paleri. B Raveendran will be the member-secretary.

The committee for judging the best book and best article on cinema will comprise C Radhakrishnan, O P Rajmohan and V Sreekumar.

Thirty-five films, including two children's movies, arealso nominated. Other than this, 15 documentaries have also been registered.