Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Chairman Ranjith has branded director Kunjila Mascillamani's protest at the venue of the 3rd Women's International Film Festival here as mischief.

Even as several film personalities notably director Vidhu Vincent have expressed solidarity with Kunjila whose protest was based on the omission of her film 'Asanghadithar' from WIFF, Ranjith has maintained that the Academy played by the book.

"Her film is just a cinema from an anthology. She approached the Academy with a request and it was made clear that it was technically difficult to just show one film from an anthology at the festival," said Ranjith.

"I talked to my colleagues at the Academy and they said the issue was properly communicated."

Ranjith claimed that WIFF was a venue for friendship where one shouldn't draw out a sword right away.

"She showed some mischief by sitting on the chairs meant for guests, including a minister and the mayor. It was unheard of.

"At first she tore a paper with my name on it that was stuck to a seat on the dais. Then did the same to the minister's seat saying that belongs to the chief minister's son-in-law. I prefer to call it mischief. A child's mischief."

Ranith referred to Kunjila's protest on the inaugural day of the three-day festival as an “isolated incident” and said such “small-scale dramas” cannot dampen the festival that he claimed was a huge success.