Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has lashed out at the team that chose to confer the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National Integration on the controversial film The Kashmir Files.
The choice of the 69th National Film Awards jury in that regard has been widely criticised, for while the award is supposed to honour initiatives to promote national integration and harmony among communities, Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s work, revolving around the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the valley, has been slammed by many for vilifying and delegitimizing Kashmiri Muslim pain.
Echoing such criticisms, Stalin said, “It is shocking that a film that was denounced by objective film critics for promoting communal enmity was chosen for an award meant to promote harmony. The absence of political bias in the literature and film awards makes the awards a timeless honour. The dignity of national awards should not be compromised for cheap politics.”
He also congratulated the winners from the Tamil cinema industry at the National Film Awards, citing particularly Kadaisi Vivasayi (The Last Farmer) that bagged the award for the best Tamil film for 2021. The film stars Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu, among others, and is directed by Manikantan.
The Chief Minister also greeted Shreya Ghoshal who won Best Female Playback Singer for the song Maayava Chaayava featured in the Tamil film Iravin Nizhal (Shadow of the Night), directed by noted actor-director R Parthiban.
Stalin also praised in his statement music composer Srikanth Deva who received a special mention for his work on the documentary film Karuvarai (Womb). Sirpigalin Sirpangal (Statues of Sculptors) that won the Best Educational Film award was also lauded by the Chief Minister.
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