New Delhi: A major controversy erupted following the announcement of the winners of the 70th National Film Awards. Despite Mammootty’s exceptional performances in several films, which many believed made him a strong contender for the Best Actor award, the legendary actor did not receive any recognition. Expectations were high that Mammootty and Rishabh Shetty would be the leading candidates for the award. While Rishabh Shetty secured the Best Actor award for ‘Kantara,’ Mammootty’s glaring omission has led to widespread speculation. Allegations have surfaced that regional committees failed to submit Mammootty’s award-worthy films for national consideration.
Two committees were responsible for reviewing South Indian films this year. The first committee, chaired by Sushant Mishra, included Murtaza Ali Khan, Ravindhar, MB Padmakumar, and Santhosh Damodaran. The second committee, chaired by Balu Saluja, comprised Raj Kandukuri, Pradeep Kechanaru, Kausalya Poturi, and Anand Singh.
Addressing the controversy, film critic and National Film Award jury member Murtaza Ali Khan has clarified the situation, revealing the real reason why Mammootty and his films were not recognized.
“It’s really unfortunate that none of Mammootty sir’s films were submitted for the National Awards,” Khan stated. “Had the films been submitted, they would surely have been considered, as the selection process is conducted with the highest levels of transparency. The process involves a two-tier system, where regional juries make their recommendations, which are then scrutinized by the central panel. Additionally, the central panel can recall any film in case of omissions by the regional panels.”
In 2022, Mammootty won the state award for Best Actor for his remarkable portrayal of the central character in Lijo Jose Pellisserry’s ‘Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam,’ His performances in ‘Puzhu’ and ‘Rorschach’ were also highly praised. “It’s sad to see such a legendary actor’s work go unrecognized,” added Khan. “But ultimately, the jury can only make selections from the list of submitted films. As a jury member, I can confirm that the selection process was fully democratic, and we had total freedom in making our recommendations.”
Earlier, Khan’s fellow jury member, Malayalam filmmaker MB Padmakumar, also confirmed that not a single film of Mammootty’s was in competition at the 70th National Film Awards, announced on August 16. A huge fan of Mammootty himself, Padmakumar expressed his disappointment that the actor’s films were not submitted for consideration.