Indian National Films Awards ceremony marred by controversy

In what was clearly a damage control exercise, the president’s office made known the one-hour rule that Kovind has followed since assuming office

Two significant people were absent from the National Films Awards Ceremony this year: one because of ill health and the other thanks to a controversy.

 Both are well-known and distinguished: the first because of  his achievements and the other because of the highest office he holds: film industry ‘s super star Amitabh Bachchan and President of India Absentees in the Indian National Films Awards Ceremony.

 There was yet another who skipped the event: willfully and deliberately: none other than award-winning Malayalam director who decided to  boycott the National Film Awards ceremony in Delhi to register his protest. He decided to stay away to flag his anger at the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the government’s intention of implementing the National Register of Citizens countrywide.

Both issues, it may be recalled, have brought people onto the streets in recent weeks even as people have been killed and many injured in the violence that followed and the face-off between the protestors and Police.

The director, Zakariya Mohammed, was to receive the 2019 award for the best Malayalam movie for his debut film Sudani From Nigeria at the ceremony. Instead his took to Facebook: “I, as the director of Sudani From Nigeria, scriptwriter Mohsin Parari and the producers will stay away from the National Film Awards function in protest at the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC,” Zakariya wrote.

 The low-budget film featuring Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson has, apart from being  a box-office hit, won critical acclaim and bagged several awards, the  National Film Award being yet another.

Zakariya’s stand to boycott the awards too got him appreciation:  “Your stand is just like Sudani From Nigeria… both extremely beautiful,” commented Mohammed Rafi Kottukadu on Facebook.

“A real artist is one who continuously clashes with society,” commented one Rakesh T. Bhaskar.

Considered to be among the most prestigious in India, the National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 by the covernment to honour film makers and artistes and encourage Indian cinema.

The awards are conferred by a jury for the best films and performance in different categories both in Hindi and regional cinema.

 Neither controversy nor a boycott are anything new to the National Film Awards.

Last year,  some 55 awardees had skipped the ceremony because of a departure from tradition of the President  of India conferring the awards. Unlike previous years,  President Kovind decided to give away only the top 11 of the 100-plus awards, leaving it to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting minister to give away the rest of the awards. Miffed at this “discrimination” several awardees wrote to the directorate of film festivals that they  felt “dejected rather than honoured” for their work.  

In what was clearly a damage control exercise, the President’s office made known the one-hour rule that Kovind has followed since assuming office: "President attends all award functions and convocations for a maximum of one hour. This has been the protocol since he took office”,  the President’s secretariat clarified.

This was also not the President’s first. Earlier this year he had been reluctant to give away the annual Presidential Award of Certificates to scholars of Sanskrit and other languages.

 The Union Human Resource Development ministry had then said that  “any dignitary” would be chosen by it to give the awards: a move that drew flak from scholars who said that the decision is “an embarrassment” for the recipients and “lowers the dignity of the award”. Till then, it was only the President who had conferred the  annual award.

Introduced in 1958 the award  honours scholars of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian. An award for Pali or Prakrit was added in 1996, while classical Kannada, classical Telugu, classical Malayalam and classical Odia were included in 2016. Altogether, 34 awards are given: too many to fit in the one-hour per function slot rule of the President.   Kovind had in the past indicated that events he attends should last “around one hour”.

“I’m not aware of this particular award but the President had indicated in the past that the durations of programmes, like convocations and award ceremonies he is attending, should be around one hour. This does not apply to national events like the Republic Day programme or the Padma awards,” his office  stated.

It was this rule that was in the eye of a storm in the film awards and the scholar awards last year and this year respectively. Critics slammed the move on grounds that since the awards carried the “Presidential” tag, no one else could give them away. “It is the Presidential award. If someone else hands it over, it will be an embarrassment for the scholars receiving it,” it was said.

Kovind and Zakariya apart, if there is one person who would not have missed the national films awards ceremony for anything, it is Amitabh Bachchan: this year’s ceremony  being very special for the veteran actor. Bachchan was chosen for  Indian cinema's highest honour – the Dadasaheb Phalke award.  

The Dadasaheb Phalke award, named after the an eminent Indian film maker, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, was instituted  by the Indian Government way back in 1969. Phalke was considered the father of Indian cinema. He directed India’s first full length feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. The  award, which is presented annually,  was instituted to commemorate his contribution to Indian cinema.

 Well known actress Devika Rani was its first recipient. Others include actors from Hindi cinema  Prithviraj Kapoor, Sohrab Modi, V.Shantaram, Raj Kapoor,  Dilip Kumar, lyricist Naushad and singers Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey among others.  While Bhupen Hazarika, known for his folk songs in Assamese was conferred the award in 1992, film makers Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, Kanan Devi known as the first lady of Bengali cinema  were also conferred the award among others. The latest to join the league is Bachchan who had to give the ceremony a miss because he had a bout of fever.

The 77-year-old actor took to Twitter and said, "Down with fever .. ! Not allowed to travel .. will not be able to attend National Award tomorrow in Delhi .. so unfortunate .. my regrets .."

Bachchan, had reportedly been told by the doctors to stay indoors and rest it out instead of travelling to Delhi to personally receive the award. It is however learnt that the

veteran actor will receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke honour on December 29 from President of India, Ramnath Kovind: the only one to do so this year considering that the others had to suffice with the Vice President Venkaiah Naidu doing the honours. This year around Naidu presented the awards in a break from tradition of the President conferring the prestigious awards to the recipients.

This year’s recipients include Actors Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khuranna  for their performances in 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' and 'Andhadhun' among a host of others.

 Interestingly the Phalke award was introduced the year Bachchan made his debut in the Hindi film industry with Saat Hindustaniin 1969. He also rings in his fiftieth year as an actor. The award could not have come at a better time but then it was also an opportunity missed since Bachchan could not receive it at the ceremony due to ill health: a regret that he will perhaps live with. Equally, receiving it solo a few days later would also ensure the spotlight to be only on him and that too with the President of India.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])

Indian National Films Awards ceremony marred by controversy

In what was clearly a damage control exercise, the presidents office made known the one-hour rule that Kovind has followed since assuming office

Two significant people were absent from the National Films Awards Ceremony this year: one because of ill health and the other thanks to a controversy. Both are well-known and distinguished: the first because of his achievements and the other because of the highest office he holds: film industry s super star Amitabh Bachchan and President of India Absentees in the Indian National Films Awards Ceremony. There was yet another who skipped the event: willfully and deliberately: none other than award-winning Malayalam director who decided to boycott the National Film Awards ceremony in Delhi to register his protest. He decided to stay away to flag his anger at the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the governments intention of implementing the National Register of Citizens countrywide. Both issues, it may be recalled, have brought people onto the streets in recent weeks even as people have been killed and many injured in the violence that followed and the face-off between the protestors and Police. The director, Zakariya Mohammed, was to receive the 2019 award for the best Malayalam movie for his debut film Sudani From Nigeria at the ceremony. Instead his took to Facebook: I, as the director of Sudani From Nigeria, scriptwriter Mohsin Parari and the producers will stay away from the National Film Awards function in protest at the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC, Zakariya wrote. The low-budget film featuring Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson has, apart from being a box-office hit, won critical acclaim and bagged several awards, the National Film Award being yet another. Zakariyas stand to boycott the awards too got him appreciation: Your stand is just like Sudani From Nigeria both extremely beautiful, commented Mohammed Rafi Kottukadu on Facebook. A real artist is one who continuously clashes with society, commented one Rakesh T. Bhaskar. Considered to be among the most prestigious in India, the National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 by the covernment to honour film makers and artistes and encourage Indian cinema. The awards are conferred by a jury for the best films and performance in different categories both in Hindi and regional cinema. Neither controversy nor a boycott are anything new to the National Film Awards. Last year, some 55 awardees had skipped the ceremony because of a departure from tradition of the President of India conferring the awards. Unlike previous years, President Kovind decided to give away only the top 11 of the 100-plus awards, leaving it to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting minister to give away the rest of the awards. Miffed at this discrimination several awardees wrote to the directorate of film festivals that they felt dejected rather than honoured for their work. In what was clearly a damage control exercise, the Presidents office made known the one-hour rule that Kovind has followed since assuming office: President attends all award functions and convocations for a maximum of one hour. This has been the protocol since he took office, the Presidents secretariat clarified. This was also not the Presidents first. Earlier this year he had been reluctant to give away the annual Presidential Award of Certificates to scholars of Sanskrit and other languages. The Union Human Resource Development ministry had then said that any dignitary would be chosen by it to give the awards: a move that drew flak from scholars who said that the decision is an embarrassment for the recipients and lowers the dignity of the award. Till then, it was only the President who had conferred the annual award. Introduced in 1958 the award honours scholars of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian. An award for Pali or Prakrit was added in 1996, while classical Kannada, classical Telugu, classical Malayalam and classical Odia were included in 2016. Altogether, 34 awards are given: too many to fit in the one-hour per function slot rule of the President. Kovind had in the past indicated that events he attends should last around one hour. Im not aware of this particular award but the President had indicated in the past that the durations of programmes, like convocations and award ceremonies he is attending, should be around one hour. This does not apply to national events like the Republic Day programme or the Padma awards, his office stated. It was this rule that was in the eye of a storm in the film awards and the scholar awards last year and this year respectively. Critics slammed the move on grounds that since the awards carried the Presidential tag, no one else could give them away. It is the Presidential award. If someone else hands it over, it will be an embarrassment for the scholars receiving it, it was said. Kovind and Zakariya apart, if there is one person who would not have missed the national films awards ceremony for anything, it is Amitabh Bachchan: this years ceremony being very special for the veteran actor. Bachchan was chosen for Indian cinemas highest honour the Dadasaheb Phalke award. The Dadasaheb Phalke award, named after the an eminent Indian film maker, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, was instituted by the Indian Government way back in 1969. Phalke was considered the father of Indian cinema. He directed Indias first full length feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. The award, which is presented annually, was instituted to commemorate his contribution to Indian cinema. Well known actress Devika Rani was its first recipient. Others include actors from Hindi cinema Prithviraj Kapoor, Sohrab Modi, V.Shantaram, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, lyricist Naushad and singers Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey among others. While Bhupen Hazarika, known for his folk songs in Assamese was conferred the award in 1992, film makers Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, Kanan Devi known as the first lady of Bengali cinema were also conferred the award among others. The latest to join the league is Bachchan who had to give the ceremony a miss because he had a bout of fever. The 77-year-old actor took to Twitter and said, Down with fever .. ! Not allowed to travel .. will not be able to attend National Award tomorrow in Delhi .. so unfortunate .. my regrets .. Bachchan, had reportedly been told by the doctors to stay indoors and rest it out instead of travelling to Delhi to personally receive the award. It is however learnt that the veteran actor will receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke honour on December 29 from President of India, Ramnath Kovind: the only one to do so this year considering that the others had to suffice with the Vice President Venkaiah Naidu doing the honours. This year around Naidu presented the awards in a break from tradition of the President conferring the prestigious awards to the recipients. This years recipients include Actors Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khuranna for their performances in Uri: The Surgical Strike and Andhadhun among a host of others. Interestingly the Phalke award was introduced the year Bachchan made his debut in the Hindi film industry with Saat Hindustaniin 1969. He also rings in his fiftieth year as an actor. The award could not have come at a better time but then it was also an opportunity missed since Bachchan could not receive it at the ceremony due to ill health: a regret that he will perhaps live with. Equally, receiving it solo a few days later would also ensure the spotlight to be only on him and that too with the President of India. The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])