Cinema

"It is shocking"... Tamil Nadu CM shares disappointment Awards jury for choosing a biased film for national integration

By TNSCorrespondent, 25 August, 2023
MK Stalin, National Film Awards, The Kashmir Files

(This article is authored by Alar)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed his disappointment over the selection of the 69th National Film Awards, which he said was biased and politicized. Despite congratulating the Tamil films and artists who won the awards, but also criticized the jury for snubbing some of the critically acclaimed Kollywood films and actors, and for giving the National Integration award to a film that was widely condemned for its portrayal of the Kashmir issue and the Muslim community.

Taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Stalin praised the team of Kadaisi Vivasayi, which won the best Tamil film award, Vijay Sethupathi and Manikandan, who won the best actor and Best Supporting Actor awards respectively for Jai Bhim, Shreya Ghoshal, who won the best female playback singer award for Mayava Chayava from Iravai Nizhal, Srikanth Deva, who won a special certificate for the documentary Karuvarai, and the crew of Sirpigalin Sirpangal, which won the best educational film award.

However, he also expressed his shock and dismay over the jury’s decision to give the Nargis Dutt Award for National Integration to The Kashmir Files, a film that was widely panned by critics and audiences alike for its biased and insensitive depiction of the Kashmir conflict and the Muslim community.

He further said that literature and film awards should be free from political bias, and that they should reflect the true artistic merit and social relevance of the works. He said that the dignity of national awards should not be compromised for cheap politics.

He wrote, "it is shocking that #NargisDutt Award for National Integration has been announced for a film that was ignored by neutral critics as a controversial film. The absence of political bias in the literature and film awards makes those awards timeless. The dignity of national awards should not be compromised for cheap politics. #NationalFilmAwards2023 #NationalFilmAwards", he added. 

The message has struck a chord with countless netizens who share his views and show their unwavering support for the beloved Tamil film industry.  The National Film Awards are presented by the President of India in a ceremony held in New Delhi, followed by a National Film Festival where the award-winning films are screened for the public.

The awards are administered by the Directorate of Film Festivals, a government agency that also organizes other major film events in India. The NFA awards were established in 1954, and have evolved over the years to reflect the diversity and excellence of Indian cinema. The awards aim to encourage the production of films that are aesthetically and technically superior, socially relevant, and contribute to the understanding and appreciation of the cultures of different regions of the country. 

 

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