The Kerala Story National Film Awards Controversy: Jury Member Pradeep Nair Calls It 'Propaganda'

News18

3 days ago

Last Updated:
A jury member objected to The Kerala Story winning at the National Film Awards, calling it propaganda and questioning its selection integrity.
The Kerala Story National Film Awards Win: Tensions flared after the 71st National Film Awards named The Kerala Story as Best Director and Best Cinematography. While Sudipto Sen and Prasantanu Mohapatra claimed top honours, one jury member publicly objected—casting doubt on the film's selection.
National Awards Jury Member Takes a Stand
Pradeep Nair, one of the Feature Film jury members, said he was the sole voice in protest. 'As a Malayali on the panel, I raised serious objections. I questioned how a film that defames a state like Kerala and serves as propaganda could be considered for a national honour." Despite his concerns, he said the rest of the panel disagreed.
'I even conveyed my concerns directly to the jury chairperson. However, I was the only one who labelled it as propaganda. Others argued that, even if it was controversial, it addressed a relevant social issue."
'Every Malayali and all democratic believers in the country should raise their voice against this injustice. We must rally against politics that turns art into a weapon to foster communalism," he stated.
Runner-Up Film Highlighted
During deliberations, Ullozhukku by Christo Tomy was also considered for Best Director. Nair revealed that others dismissed it as 'just a family drama," arguing that The Kerala Story tackled a more urgent topic. Still, Ullozhukku earned its own recognition—winning Best Malayalam Film and Best Supporting Actress for Urvashi.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan On The Kerala Story
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has slammed the 71st National Film Awards for The Kerala Story's wins. In a statement, Chief Minister Vijayan said the film was 'made with lies to defame Kerala and spread communalism". He added that by honouring such a film, the awards jury had 'insulted the noble tradition of Indian cinema that stood for religious brotherhood and national integration."
The Chief Minister further alleged that the move reflected the ideological agenda of the Sangh Parivar. 'They are implementing the Sangh Parivar agenda of turning cinema into a weapon to implement the communal agenda," he said. Vijayan urged all democratic-minded citizens and Malayalis to speak out against what he described as a grave injustice.
About The Kerala Story
Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Shah, The Kerala Story sparked major debate on release. The film's narrative centres on Kerala women allegedly forced into conversion and radicalised by ISIS. Its claim that 32,000 women were involved has drawn heavy scrutiny. The cast includes Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani, and Sonia Balani.
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.