National Film Awards = National Rigged Awards?
Well there were rumors. Then came the controversies. Now it’s out in the open.
According to this IBN report, The Delhi High Court has put a stay order on the 53rd National Film awards after allegations surfaced that the jury had been biased and apparently played favorites.
The last time I was taken aback over the awards when Raveena Tandon won the best actress award for Madhur Bhandarkar’s film. A little “better” acting in Bollywood, it seems meant, the National awards. That was some mind boggling decision the jury made in that year.
Apparently the allegation itself comes from one of the members of the jury. According to Justice Gambhir
‘It is serious as the dissent comes by a jury member,’… Justice Kailash Gambhir directed the Information and Broadcasting Ministry not to declare the awards without getting clearance from the court.
Shyamali Bannerjee is the jury member who seems to have started the storm and may I add… rightly so… here’s what IBN reports
“A film which is an adaptation of a foreign film should not be considered since the awards are meant for only original work,” said Kolkata-based National Award jury member Shyamali Banerjee in her petition.
Shyamli Banerjee Deb alleged “those who have close proximity with the DFF officials were up on the bid for the National Awards while a number of promising directors were left out because they did not manage to build up connection with the authorities.â€
“I feel a bit relaxed today since there are some chances of a review of the selection,†she added.
Shyamli Banerjee Deb has challenged the decision of Directorate of Film Festival to give away the award of best Film to Black, best debut director to Parineeta, best actress to Parzania, best screen play to Apaharan and best special effect to Tamil film Anniyan.
”In reality the DFF officials with ulterior motives decided the awards in their chambers and constituted a jury for the name sake and they tried to influence the members of the jury according to their suggestions,” said Shyamli’s counsel Deepak Prakash.
“There was no democratic discussion by the jury. The jury was totally hijacked by a group of officials who took the entire decision in the back yard and announced the awards,†he added.
Best screenplay to “Apaharn”??? What the fuck???
I think Parzania’s Sareeka deserves the award, but best film to Black? Don’t the National awards have a commercial segment too? If they so desperately need to give Black an award, they could have awarded it in the commercial category.
No democratic process? As Mel Gibson once said, the guy with the biggest club wins… and perhaps that’s what seems to be going in most such award ceremonies in India.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:24 am
Black is the best film !?? :o
biggest jha-ngiya (PJ) of the year!!
judges deserve a jha-pad (slap)!! i am sure, somewhere, some jhokers, must be really happy, pee pee ke, jha-ppy!
May 10th, 2007 at 2:01 am
black is the onw of the worst films of the year according to me..
and to get a national award? sheesh!
November 9th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Ignoring mr.mohanlal’s performace in malayalam film “thanmatra” and not atlest awarding him too along w/big b, ws a big mistake made by the juries. Agree this is big b’s best performance out of his whole career, he won all the hindi cinema awards-iifa, filmfare, etc.. Just b/c there ws alot of hype doesn’t justify the reason to give awards. Also, tamil film “anniyan” which did won the special jury award for special effects, infact they shud have given the actor vikram the best actor in that category too.