Adoor Gopalakrishnan calls national film awards a cruel joke

Legendary filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan said that the National Film Awards have now become a cruel joke. “Earlier, the jury consisted of well known film directors, theatre artists and critics. However, now, anonymous jury has been playing all these jokes,” Adoor said. He was speaking at the Film Societies of India’s John Abraham memorial award function.

“Some random person becomes the chairman of the jury that gives awards to some people. No one should ask why they got the awards as everyone known the exact reason. All I have to say is that these tendencies are unjust.

Many people think that cinema is a ‘variety entertainment’. But, cinema is an art form. Most members in the jury are admirers of Bollywood movies. There was a former central minister who proudly boasted that a prominent Bollywood star picked up his phone call. Meanwhile, a friend in Delhi told me that many jury members were tired after watching just two movies. Those who do not watch movies or do not understand anything about films give award to a selected few out of courtesy,” noted the award winning filmmaker. Adoor added that these were only his musings.