Showing posts with label 67th National Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 67th National Awards. Show all posts
It, suddenly, is a little too much to take in, says Vikas Kumar on Sonsi’s Oscar nomination
7:53 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 2, 2021)
Vikas Kumar has carved a niche for himself as a cop with shows like Powder, Khotey Sikkey, CID and the Sushmita Sen-starrer Aarya, which won him critical acclaim. Having tried his hand as a dialogue coach in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Fitoor (2016) and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, he has now turned producer with a short Sonsi.
The film, based on an eight-year-old girl and her dream etched shadow bird, is currently running for the Oscars. Recently, it won the award for best cinematography at the 67th National Awards.
Sharing his excitement, Kumar says, “It feels great. It’s very rewarding. It’s not like I’m hunting for this kind of acclaim. When we work, we go about it with utmost sincerity. I don’t know where it’s headed but I believe that if you work hard, these are the rewards it pays. Once such acclaim comes your way, it encourages to work as hard or harder in your next.”
Aarya had been nominated in the Best Drama Series category at the International Emmy Awards, 2021. “It, suddenly, is a little too much to take in. I’ve been around and I’ve done some work. I’m being noticed a little more now post Aarya,” says an overwhelmed Kumar.
So, what does all this recognition mean to him? “If the global recognition opens more doors for me, I would love to be a part of interesting stories being told anywhere. That’s our job and that’s what excites me,” he says.
Being noticed at international film festivals and award functions has exposed him to the global audience. Asked if Hollywood is on the cards, the Dhamaka actor says, “If anyone approaches me with something exciting, what could be better than that? Any interesting collaboration is great. If an exciting Hollywood project comes my way, then why not?”
This is my first National Award, I’m very happy it’s in a language that is mine-Satish Kaushik
8:24 AM
Satish Kaushik says that this award has given him a push to tell more such compelling stories
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 28, 2021)
Satish Kaushik is a happy man, having won his first National Award for his Haryanvi film Chhoriyan Chhoron Se Kam Nahi Hoti. The actor, who also produced the film, which is about a girl’s struggle to study and become an IPS officer, says the win has given him the impetus to back more such relevant stories.
“I’m very happy about it, also because our conviction worked. I believe Haryanvi films should come to the fore now... This is my first National Award, I’m very happy it’s in a language that is mine. It has boosted my morale to make more films in this language,” the 65-year-old tells us.
The film won Best Feature Film in Haryanvi language at the 67th National Film Awards. “It’s important for Haryana, as people are trying to break the notion about the state on difficulties girls face. We worked for a goal that this story should be told from Haryana... I belong to Haryana and still have my ancestral house there,” he adds.
Kaushik feels even after being in the business for over 40 years, a win is always special. “I’ve done everything, from acting, directing to production in films, TV and OTT. I am lucky that I am still here, working and relevant. Getting this recognition shows that people believe in you,” says the Kaagaz helmer.
Kaushik adds how Haryanvi language is gaining mainstream prominence, and Haryana is finding a place in several Hindi films, including Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), Sultan and Dangal (both 2016), among others.
“Haryanvi cinema is now getting more popular. There is Haryana Film Policy, which aims to create awareness about cinema from the state,” says the the chairman of the Haryana Film Promotion Board, who plans to take things forward now.
I felt alone during the National Awards; my wife and daughter were supposed to be there-Manoj Bajpayee
8:09 AM
Humbled to have received his third National Award, Manoj says win would have been more memorable if family was in attendance
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 27, 2021)
There was a bustle at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan as the top brass of Bollywood collected to receive the National Awards on Monday. For Manoj Bajpayee, who took home the gong for Best Actor for his performance in Bhonsle at the ceremony’s 67th edition, the experience, although sweet, could have been more memorable.
“I felt alone,” says Bajpayee, who lost his father on October 2. “On wonderful occasions such as these, people celebrate with their loved ones. My wife [Shabana] and daughter [Ava Nayla] were supposed to be there. But, I was rushing from Kerala to attend it, so they couldn’t come with me. I missed my parents a lot. My father was such a film buff! He would keep a track of everything that I have done, including every award and honour that I received. He would be very proud of every achievement. So, while attending the function, I felt a mixed bag of emotions.”
After Best Supporting Actor (Satya, 2000) and Special Jury Award (Pinjar, 2005), this win marks Bajpayee’s third National Award. He acknowledges that in an industry that is becoming increasingly competitive, with each act outshining the other, winning this title is nothing short of an honour. “The title is bestowed upon you by jury members who are celebrated in their respective fields. If they honour you and your work that year, you can only accept the compliments with pride and humility, and shrug it off your shoulders and prepare for the next day’s shoot.”
In the pipeline for him are three mammoth projects, including one for Kannada director Raam Reddy, and Kanu Behl’s thriller, Despatch, a direct-to-OTT release. “Raam’s movie is going to be quite an experience for the audience to witness. He’s only 29-years old, but when he starts talking about philosophy, his views leave me spellbound. Kanu is a challenging director to work with. You have to be [mentally prepared] to work with him. He is brutal and may dislike every take. These young guys are making me grow, and I am going to work with them all the time. I don’t want to become [complacent]; I want to grow as an actor.”
Bajpayee is also shooting for Abhishek Choubey’s Netflix movie. “I have done two movies with him — Sonchiriya and Ray. He has many great ideas on approaching an act. Working with him is like attending an acting workshop.”
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The actor on winning his third National Award and catching up with the legend
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 27, 2021)
After bagging two National Awards for Satya (1998) and Pinjar (2003), actor Manoj Bajpayee received a third on Monday, as he was honoured with the Best Actor award for his performance in Bhonsle (2018). He reveals that each time he goes up on the stage to accept the award, memories of his first win come rushing back. And while winning the top award is always special, this honour is more special for the actor.
“It feels even better when you win awards for films that are close to your heart. We wanted to make this movie for a while, but we weren’t getting money from anyone who could produce it. It took us four years to make Bhonsle. So, it definitely means the world to us. It’s kind of a poetic justice that has happened to the film,” he says.
The ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi will remain a fond memory for the 52-year-old actor, as it also gave him the opportunity to interact and exchange notes with other artistes. Quiz him about meeting superstar Rajinikanth, who was bestowed the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, and Bajpayee says, “Rajinikanth sir is a legend and I’ve always looked up to him for the journey he has had. He came from a humble background and created such a big name for himself. He treats everyone with a lot of humility. I spoke to him. It had nothing to do with cinema, but spirituality.”
Talking about his interaction with actor Dhanush, who also won the Best Actor award, he says, “I had a long conversation with him. We shared our thoughts on the films we like and his films that I’ve watched. He’s a remarkable young mind doing some remarkable films.”
Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Rajinikanth
8:27 AM
Actor Kangana Ranaut (L) greets Rajinikanth as they attend the 67th National Film and Dadasaheb Phalke Awards 2019 in New Delhi
National Film Awards: Kangana Is Best Actress, Dhanush Best Actor
THE TIMES OF INDIA (October 26, 2021)
New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award on Tamil superstar Rajinikanth and honoured a galaxy of personalities related to cinema, including Dhanush, Priyadarshan, Resul Pookutty, Manoj Bajpayee and Kangana Ranaut, with National Film Awards.
The 67th National Film awards for 2019 were announced in March this year, and were delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Addressing the function finally held in a physical format after a two-year delay, Naidu said he was happy that regional films had dominated the list of award winners. He also urged filmmakers and actors to use cinema to generate “positivity and happiness”.
“Films should be vehicles with a higher purpose... We should focus on creating cinema which is entertaining, gives us solace, some message, reduces our tension and makes us think positively. Don’t be obstructive, be constructive,” he said, asking film makers to shun violence, vulgarity and obscenity.
Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur, on the other hand, praised the Indian film industry’s continuous efforts to keep the people entertained amid the pandemic. “If vaccines can be made available to the rich and poor, entertainment too should reach the rich and poor equally,” Thakur said.
He also emphasised last-mile connectivity of entertainment products for the masses in far flung areas and said the film fraternity should consider “simpler” methods of reaching audiences for whom high-end theatres and multiplexes are beyond reach.
In his acceptance speech, Rajinikanth thanked his mentor, late filmmaker K Balachander, his brother Sathyanarayana Rao, and his “friend, driver and transport colleague Raj Bahadur”, who spotted his acting talent when he was a bus conductor. “He spotted the acting talent in me and encouraged me to join cinema. All my producers and directors who have produced my films, technicians, artists, distributors, media, press and all my fans, and Tamil people... ,” Rajinikanth said after receiving Indian cinema’s highest honour.
Director Priyadarshan’s Malayalam film ‘Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham’ was awarded the best feature film, while Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan received the best director trophy for his Hindi film ‘Bahattar Hoorain’, Dhanush was awarded for his role in Tamil film ‘Asuran’, while Manoj Bajpayee was awarded for his performance in ‘Bhosle’. Ranaut, on the other hand, won best actress for her performance in ‘Manikarnika’ and ‘Panga’. Actors Pallavi Joshi and Vijay Sethupathi got best supporting actress and best supporting actor awards for their performances in films ‘The Tashkent Files’ and ‘Super Deluxe’, respectively.
Nitesh Tiwari directorial ‘Chhichhore’ was given the best Hindi film honour and the movie’s producer, Sajid Nadiadwala, dedicated the award to the lead star of the movie, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Singer B Praak said he was full of “tears and gratitude” on receiving the National Award for best male playback singer. The award for the best female playback singer was given to Savani Ravindra for “Raan Petala” from Marathi feature ‘Bardo’.
The Nargis Dutt Award for best feature film on national integration was given to the makers of ‘Tajmahal’ (Marathi), while the best film on social issues trophy went to ‘Anandi Gopal’ (Marathi). The Indira Gandhi Award for best debut film of a director was given to Mathukutty Xavier for ‘Helen’ (Malayalam). Naga Vishal won the best child artist trophy for Tamil film ‘Kruppu Durai’.
In the non-feature film category, 22 titles were given National Film Awards.
The National Award for the most film-friendly state was given to Sikkim, while Sanjay Suri’s book ‘A Gandhian Affair: India’s Curious Portrayal Of Love In Cinema’ was named the best book on cinema.
Sushant Singh Rajput is the brightest star in the galaxy, who is revelling in the victory-Varun Sharma
7:57 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 30, 2021)
When your film wins a National Award, it calls for a big celebration. And though actor Varun Sharma was thrilled when he heard that the Nitesh Tiwari directorial, Chhichhore, won Best Hindi Film, he couldn’t help but get emotional. “Winning the National Award for a film that will always hold a special place in my heart is a big validation. This one’s for Kammo,” says Sharma, referring to the name his character used for the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput in the film.
Looking back, he calls Chhichhore “a learning ground and an enriching experience”. He says, “When you work with a team of amazing actors, you feed off each other’s energies. I have made great friends during the shoot. The conversations and the fun that we had both on and off camera will always remain in my heart. It was my dream to work with Nitesh sir!”
Sharma, 31, calls the way Tiwari crafted the film “incredible” and says thar shooting for it felt like a vacation. “It was like reliving our college days. We knew that we were making something very special and hoped from the bottom of our hearts that it’d be received in the way that it has been. We are beyond happy that the film received a lot of love across demographics. As actors, that is what we live for,” he says.
Sharma can’t help but think about Rajput even more after the win. “The celebration was incomplete, with a bit of hollowness. But we know that he is the brightest star in the galaxy, who is revelling in the victory and is happily looking at us,” he says.
I support films like Roohi and Mumbai Saga, which opted for theatrical runs-Shariq Patel
8:02 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 25, 2021)
As much as all of us at Zee Studios want to host a grand bash, we have to keep the celebrations muted. The second wave of Coronavirus is here. So, we have to ensure we’re all safe. I am sure once we tide past this difficult time, we can celebrate. We are overjoyed and extremely humbled with these wins. The work of our studio has been acknowledged at the highest level in this country. When the films had been entered into the competition, we knew that we would win something, but we had no idea we’d come so far. Anandi Gopal, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, The Tashkent Files and Chhoriyan Chhoron Se Kam Nahi Hoti have all made us proud. It makes us believe that maybe we are selecting films to partner with correctly — the films are finding resonance with the audience and fraternity.
With seven National Awards this year, will the studio be very choosy about what it bankrolls in future?
We have always followed a multi-language strategy. We have always believed in creating great commercial content with a promising story at the core and with the right mix of talent. The idea has always been to come up with content that cuts across as many boundaries as possible. We have been tapping the pulse of the audience, keeping this as our benchmark across languages for years, and the National Award wins in so many categories across films in different languages is like a reaffirmation of everything we believe in as a company. As a studio, we plan to invest more in stories that transcend boundaries. Awards are never the starting point of any project that we work on. When a film turns out well, and it finds resonance with the audience, we know we have a winner at hand. Films like Anandi Gopal and Chhoriyan Chhoron Se Kam Nahi Hoti were trying to say something so important. Anandi Gopal put the spotlight on a hero of our society. Yes, like every other studio, we, too, love to see awards coming our way, but our priority is to entertain the audience with newer stories and groundbreaking content. With the National Awards, the idea is to get back to the drawing board and come out with even more engaging stories for the years to come.
We’re proud to partner with the right mix of artistes. Kangana, Manoj Bajpayee, who won for Bhonsle and Dhanush who won for Asuran, are fantastic actors. It gives us joy to work with some of these names with such frequency. Manoj worked with us for Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari and is now a part of the cast of our film, Silence. Thalaivi’s trailer, too, has won Kangana a lot of praise. And we’re just getting started for 2021. In the next 12 months, we will release about 25-30 films across languages. We have to scale up the studio’s operations. There will be a quantum jump in the films that we are producing.
After releasing Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari in theatres, do we see the studio bringing out more films on the big screen, given that the audience is still warming up to the idea of going to the cinemas again?
I support films like Roohi and Mumbai Saga, which opted for theatrical runs. It is easy to go direct-to-digital and pocket the money and not worry about the box office. I take pride in the fact that we started this trend with Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari. We have to ensure that as content creators, we stand by the theatres in this hour. Vaccination drives have only made us all hopeful, but planning a film’s release does remain a challenge today. We can only react to a situation as it unfolds. So, our plans will also change depending on where we are in this new normal at a said time.
I respect the way my Super Deluxe character Shilpa was written-Vijay Sethupathi
7:59 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 25, 2021)
Actor Vijay Sethupathi won at the 67th National Awards for his portrayal of a transgender person in the Tamil film, Super Deluxe (2019). He hopes it will help people, especially transgender community, to understand the real intention behind making the film, which was to remove stigma around the community.
After the film’s release, Sethupathi had got several calls, chiding him for disrespecting transgender community. “We thought they would feel good about the film as we had made it with so much respect. But they misunderstood it,” he says.
The actor was shooting in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, when he got to know about the Best Supporting Actor honour. “When I work, I don’t expect any awards. The news of winning the National Film Award came as a surprise. When people started wishing me, I didn’t even know how to react,” the actor tells us.
“I became a hero in 2010, and started getting awards from 2013. I went to award functions for two years, and slowly started cutting down, one by one,” shares the actor, adding that he will surely go to pick up the National Film Award.
He gives the credit for the win to director Thiagarajan Kumararaja, who captured the complexities of his character, Shilpa. “I respect the way it was written. Kumararaja is the man who put a lot of effort in creating the character,” says the 43-year-old.
Reflecting on the journey of bringing Shilpa to life on screen, the actor says, “Whenever I play a character, I become a teacher and the character becomes a student. But in this film, it was vice versa.”
Now no one will question my ability-Vivek Agnihotri
7:57 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 25, 2021)
Winning the National Film Award for Dialogue writing for his film The Tashkent Files (2019) is a victorious moment for filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri for many reasons.
“It feels great. A National Film Award is something else altogether. I would be lying if I say I am not elated,” he says.
He also notes how this will now bring more credibility and respect for him as many had criticised the film and called it too verbose. “At least nobody can now challenge me about my script writing and dialogue writing. The Tashkent Files was stuck for a long time as everybody said this film will not work because it has no screenplay, no climax, no proper ending and it has too many dialogues. People were criticizing the screenplay and dialogues so much, but now look it got an award for that very aspect. Now people will not question me about my capabilities or my work,” shares the 47-year-old.
It is a double treat for Agnihotri as his wife, Pallavi Joshi, won Best Supporting Actress for the thriller on the death of former Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
“We both do very little work. Pallavi did this film after a gap of six years. She is very choosy. Even I make films araam se. This film took about four years to make. We put in so many years, so much money, emotions and passion has gone into it. When you get awards like this it gives you the courage and patience to make another film,” the director says.
On how he celebrated the win at the 67th National Awards, Agnihotri shares he went straight back to work. “People celebrated in office but I went inside the edit room and kept editing my next film, The Kashmir Files. I realised it has to be far better than The Tashkent Files. That responsibility is also on me now,” he adds.
I am dedicating this award to my two gurus, David Lean and Ramesh Sippy-Priyadarshan
8:01 AM
Bagging three National Award titles for his multilingual, Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, Priyadarshan pays tribute to filmmakers David Lean, and Ramesh Sippy
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 24, 2021)
Priyadarshan’s ambitious multilingual (Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu), Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (Marakkar - The Lion Of Arabian Sea), took home not one, but three National Awards on Monday, at the 67th National Awards. The historical film took home the titles of Best Feature Film, Best Costume Designer (Sujith Sudhakaran and V Sai) and Best Special Effects (by Priyadarshan’s son, Siddharth).
Based on the story of Kunjali Marakkar IV (played by Mohanlal), the celebrated naval chief of the Zamorin of Calicut, the film stars Suniel Shetty, Manju Warrier, Arjun Sarja, Mukesh and Keerthy Suresh, in pivotal roles. Priyadarshan, who dedicated his award to the late filmmaker David Lean, and Ramesh Sippy, says, “I didn’t expect to win, although I thought the film could be awarded in other departments. I am dedicating this award to my two gurus, who taught me how to shoot big frames in big canvases. David Lean and Ramesh Sippy’s filmmaking styles have influenced me. They had the same approach to movie-making.”
Priyadarshan’s son Siddharth, who crafted the VFX designs for the film, graduated from the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco. Since the filmmaker “couldn’t afford foreign technicians, like the ones employed for Baahubali”, he coaxed him to leave a lucrative job in America to help him. “Every father is proud of his son’s recognition. I am happy that Siddharth got it in his first film. I requested Siddharth, who has graduated in VFX in the US, to leave his lucrative job. I told him he could return after working on this film. But this award has been encouraging for him.”
Making the costumes was a challenge, given that he wanted to create an attire that would resemble the sartorial sensibilities of people from across India. “We followed artist Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings on women, to arrive at the dresses. The history surrounding it was vague, so I had to use my imagination to write the screenplay.”
67th National Award winners open up; explain why the trophy is 'a big deal'
8:46 AM
As National Award announcement evokes mixed reactions, winners tell mid-day why the title is prestigious
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; March 23, 2021)
Kangana Ranaut, Manoj Bajpayee and Dhanush (Asuran) took home the big titles in the acting categories at the 67th National Film Awards, which were announced yesterday. Priyadarshan’s Malayalam film, Marakkar - The Lion Of Arabian Sea, won the Best Feature Film title, while Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan was named Best Director for Bahattar Hoorain. Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s film, Chhichhore, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, took home the Best Hindi Film award. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala says, “I dedicate this prestigious award to Sushant. We can’t get over his loss, but I pray that this award gives a little bit of happiness to his family and fans, including me. And I am tremendously grateful to Nitesh for giving us this special film.”
Bajpayee, who won for Bhonsle, tells mid-day, “I thank my director, Devashish Makhija, [and producers] Sandeep Kapoor and Piyush Singh. I am grateful to everyone who believed in this film and supported it. ”
Best Supporting Actress Pallavi Joshi (The Tashkent Files) says she “wasn’t expecting” to win. “I knew that because of the pandemic, award functions weren’t being held. I assumed that they would either cancel it, or club projects across two years. When I heard Vivek’s [Agnihotri, husband and director] name, I was elated. This is his first National Award. It was a well-researched and well-written film. It took a moment for me to register my win because I had forgotten that I had acted in it. I was reminded of my first National Award win in 1994. Today is no different. This award is a big deal because it carries opinions of the finest talents. The icing on the cake is that the President gives you the award.”
The film picked up the honour for Best Dialogue. Agnihotri, who has also penned it, adds, “I was told this film has no screenplay and was too verbose. It was sabotaged after being stuck for a long time. We contributed in raising important questions about the right to truth in a democracy. When it released in 150 screens, it ran for 125 days, because the audience came to watch it. My view has been vindicated. I feel empowered to write good stuff. I dedicate this to Lal Bahadur Shastri.”
In a joint statement, the team of Marathi film Anandi Gopal, which won Best Production Design and Best Film On Social Issues, said, “We are humbled, honoured, and ecstatic. This was a labour of love; our first film and first National Award. The win has been a dream come true for all of us. We can only attribute the win to the passionate work of each and every one in the team.”
Other winners include Vijay Sethupathi, who took home the Best Supporting Actor award for Super Deluxe.
67th National Awards: Kangana Ranaut gets best actress, Manoj Bajpayee & Dhanush best actor
8:43 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (March 23, 2021)
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut was announced the winner of the best actress award for her roles in ‘Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi’ and ‘Panga’, while Manoj Bajpayee and Dhanush were declared best actors for their performances in ‘Bhonsle’ and ‘Asuran’, respectively, at the 67th National Film Awards for 2019, announced on Monday.
The jury declared Sushant Singh Rajput’s last theatrical release, ‘Chhichhore’, as the best feature film in Hindi, while ‘Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (Marakkar - The Lion Of Arabian Sea)’, Mohanlal’s yet-to-be-released film, written and directed by Priyadarshan, won the best film in the Malayalam category.
Among a total of 47 awards in the feature films category, ‘Asuran’ won the best Tamil film, ‘Jersey’ the best Telugu films, while Vijay Sethupathi won the best-supporting actor award for Tamil film ‘Super Deluxe’. The jury also declared Sikkim as the most film-friendly state in 2019, while the Best Book on Cinema was given to Sanjay Suri’s ‘A Gandhian Affair: India's Curious Portrayal of Love in Cinema’.
In the non-feature film category, ‘An Engineered Dream’, a Hindi film was declared winner for Best Non-Feature Film. ‘Kastoori’ was awarded best children’s film, while ‘Shrikshetra- Ru-Sahijata’ won the best Arts and Culture Film. The jury also announced Savani Ravindra as winner of the Best Female Playback Singer for her song ‘Raan Petala’ from the Marathi movie ‘Bardo’ and Gireesh Gangadharan as winner of the Best Cinematography award for the Malayalam film ‘Jallikkettu’.
Ahead of the announcement of the awards on Monday, the chairperson and members of the jury met Union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar. Comprising eminent film makers and film personalities including N. Chandra, Arun Chaddha, Shaji N Karun and Saibal Chatterjee, the jury also conferred the Best Film Critic on Sohini Chattopadhyay.
No jury meet for National Film Awards amid lockdown leaves filmmakers perturbed
8:18 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; June 1, 2020)
Every year, the National Film Awards (NFA) are announced in April, and the ceremony takes place in May (except last year, when awards were delayed due to the elections). This year, however, there hasn’t been any announcement about the same. Due to the Coronavirus lockdown, there have been no jury meetings and no online viewing arrangements, too.
Sources inform that the NFA jury was to meet in February, but the meeting was postponed to March-end. However, days before the meeting, the lockdown happened, and since then, there has been no communication. Even though government offices have opened with less occupancy, and film festivals and award ceremonies have made arrangements for their jury to watch films online, no such arrangements have been made yet for the NFA.
Filmmakers and actors say that the NFA announcement helps filmmakers, especially for regional films, to get a release, when the film has no stars. Anuj Tyagi, filmmaker and co-director, The Last Colour, asks, “Venice festival is happening, and Cannes is announcing its official selection in the first week of June. Why is the government not announcing anything about the NFA? We wait for it the whole year. It’s not a public event — it’s 15-20 jury members watching films in an auditorium. They must have the jury meet and announce the winners soon.” We reached out to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials, but they refused to comment on the issue.
67th National Film Awards stand deferred
8:31 AM
Radhika Bhirani (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 25, 2020)
With the Covid-19 pandemic leaving scores of key events across the globe deferred, the 67th edition of the National Film Awards, also stands delayed indefinitely as of now. May 3, the designated date for the event every year, falls in the lockdown period, owing to the ongoing global crisis.
According to sources, no discussions have taken place regarding the annual gala, as officials are currently concentrating, more importantly, on tackling the Coronavirus situation.
Filmmaker Rahul Rawail, who was the National Film Awards jury head last year, says the process of putting together a jury was “about to start” before the Coronavirus scare took a more serious turn in India.
Last year also, the awards announcement and distribution got delayed because of the general elections. The winners were eventually announced in August, and the ceremony took place in December. Usually, the winners decided by an independent jury are declared in April every year, followed by the ceremony on May 3. Now, with hardly any movie releases in 2020, Rawail feels “it won’t be fair to have” a National Film Awards next year.
“I think this year has practically gone off from the calendar as far as the film and TV industry goes. The government is as worried as film people are, but we can’t expect them to stop everything to look after films,” the filmmaker adds.
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