Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 15, 2020)

Recently the Berlin International Film Festival announced a decision to present a gender-neutral award instead of the Best Actor and Best Actress. While actor Kirti Kulhari understands and appreciates the sentiment behind the decision, she feels it wasn’t really needed.

“I see no difference between a male and female. Having said that, I like the idea of males and females being awarded differently and separately for their efforts. While we are fighting for a gender-neutral society, which is great, I think it’s also being pushed to an extent that I feel is not necessary. I like the distinction between a male and a female and how they individually are enough in themselves because they have their own strengths and weaknesses,” says the Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) actor.

Though the impact of this announcement on other award shows is yet to be seen, Kulhari surmises it’s very likely that world over award organisers will follow suit. “We tend to follow the frenzy towards good or bad things, especially now with the world going through its own revolution, through which a lot of people are coming forward to make a difference to the way the society is — to change it for the better. A lot of people wouldn’t want to be left behind or be called out for not supporting this,” she says.

There are also concerns being raised that such format may reduce the number of awards women get for their work, as there aren’t many strong roles written for them. Sharing her opinion on it, the actor says, “Honestly, we’ll see how this idea of making it gender-neutral works and the direction it takes. I think there’s an entire movement that the world is going through for women as well. Considering that, I think it’ll not affect the kind of roles women are being offered, the number of roles offered to them and the content that’s written for them. It’s possible for this movement to go hand-in-hand with the cause of gender neutrality.”

Thrilled about Berlin Film Festival going ‘gender-neutral’ for its performance awards, actor Ayushmann Khurrana hopes award functions in India also ‘take a step towards having a more progressive society’
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 7, 2020)

For ages, film award functions have seen trophies being handed over to actors — male as well as female separately — based on their gender. But now, the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival has turned the prevailing practice on its head by deciding that its performance awards will be gender-neutral for next year’s edition. Instead of awards for the best male and female actor, Silver Bears (an award for the Berlin Film Festival for achievements in direction, acting, and for best short film) will be awarded for best leading performance and best supporting performance.

Back in India, Ayushmann Khurrana — who has been quite vocal about normalising gender conversations in the country –— is “thrilled” [with the news]. The actor says, “I wholeheartedly laud the Berlin Film Festival’s decision to award gender-neutral recognitions and I hope all film festivals across the world and India follow suit. At the end of the day, we are all actors, and gender divisions only highlight the long prevalent divisive nature of societies. Thus, it is important that gender-neutral awards should become the norm when it comes to adjudicating the best work of the year.”

Khurrana, who is currently stationed in his hometown, Chandigarh, with his family due to the ongoing Coronavirys pandemic, feels films as well as film stars can play an active role in kicking off relevant conversations, in a bid to achieve gender parity in the Indian society. He explains, “Gender divisions are too deep rooted and the film industry can really do its bit to champion change. According to me, ‘gendered awards’ are totally outdated and should be scrapped.”

The Andhadhun (2018) actor feels it’s time for all the award functions in India to also have a serious look at the “inevitable trend”. As he puts it, “I seriously hope that all award functions in our country also take a step in the right direction and do what is the most obvious thing, towards having a more progressive society. For me, good performances are good performances, and they should be seen without the gender lens.”

Work-wise, Khurrana — who last starred in Shoojit Sircar’s OTT release, Gulabo Sitabo — will be seen in filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor’s yet-untitled next that will see him play a cross-functional athlete. It’s believed that he is undergoing a “massive physical transformation” for the same, but is keeping all the prep under wraps. He is also supposed to feature in Anubhav Sinha’s next, reportedly an intense political drama.