Only raising a reasonable grievance, says Parvathy on boycotting National Film Awards

The National Film Awards 2018 ceremony took place at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on Thursday. Hours before the event, the winners were informed that only eleven select awardees would receive the honour from President Ram Nath Kovind as he usually sets aside only one hour for such events. When the winners learnt that unlike earlier years, the President of India will not present all the awards, many of them chose to stay away from the event. Many artists from Malayalam filmdom, who won maximum number of awards, decided to skip the ceremony. Among them were well known stars such as Take Off actor Parvathy and actor Fahadh Faasil.

Speaking to reporters, Parvathy said that she was upset with the fact that she was not being presented the National award by the President. “Our families have come here to see us get the award. We are only raising a reasonable grievance here. No agitation, no violence. Yet, we did not get a reply for our letter at all, we have waited for 24 hours now. Our absence at the ceremony is what we want to show. We are upholding the National Awards, no doubt,” Parvathy was quoted by The News Minute.

Fahadh, who was present in Delhi, to receive his award for best supporting actor, left for Bengaluru even before the ceremony began upon learning about the President’s decision, the report added.

According to Sandeep Senan, producer of Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, they didn’t boycott the event. By not attending, they merely conveyed their grief over not getting the chance to receive the award from the President.

“We are not pointing fingers at anyone, but why this discrimination? Why is it that only 11 people will get it from the President? This is our sacrifice, that we have decided to stay away from the event. This is not ego, not to hurt anyone’s ego, but this shouldn’t happen again. We are doing this for cinema,” Sandeep was quoted by The News Minute.

According to a Times of India report, 55 winners of the 125 recipients boycotted the event. As many as 69 award winners wrote to the President and the information and broadcasting ministry to protest against, what they claimed, was a “breach of trust” and “disappointment” that the “institution that abides by extreme protocol fails to inform us of such a vital aspect of the ceremony with a prior notice”. Among the signatories was legendary singer KJ Yesudas, who attended the function nonetheless.

Director Jayaraj too attended it, the News Minute reported.

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