We know it's because of Empuraan: Urvashi on National Award snub of Aadujeevitham
The veteran actor said she can voice out because is not aligned to any political party: "I can speak, because I am not dependent on any political party. I pay my taxes, I have no fear. I am raising this, not for me, but for those who walk behind me. I do not want anyone telling them, 'Even Urvashi kept quiet when she won, why are you making noise?'"She admitted that she did not receive that many congratulations. She talked about the confusion among her peers about offering congratulations, stating "The few who did apologised for wishing. Is this how things should be? If they select lead characters for the award for supporting roles, then what happens to the actual supporting actors? Where is the motivation for them to try to better their craft? How did they measure acting to decide whether it is a lead role or a supporting role?."Furthermore, Urvashi expressed disappointment over the decision to share awards between two recipients, stating, "First means just that - one person. This is all very strange." She raised concerns about the demotivating effect such decisions have on actors who specialise in supporting roles.Speaking about veteran actor Vijayaraghavan being offered Best Supporting Actor for 'Pookkalam' despite playing the lead role and said, "What a performance he came up with! He's been around for decades. Will he get such a role again? I seek a reply from the jury. Even with exams, you request for retotalling, re-evaluation. So, I hope they do this for the National Awards too. Give us a jury that inspires confidence, and changes the system so that there is nothing but fairness."advertisementReflecting on her past experience, Urvashi shared how she refrained from protesting during a similar situation at the 53rd National Awards, when she won Best Supporting Actress for 'Achuvinte Amma'. "I did not raise my voice then, because Sarika won Best Actress for 'Parzania' and I knew she was making a comeback after a personal struggle, and it did not feel right to protest. But this time, I have to speak, not just for myself, but for my younger co-stars," she said.The actor also emphasised the importance of standing up for the talent in the south, asserting, "There are so many talented actors in the south who will keep missing out on these recognitions if we don't raise our voice now." She underscored the need for the National Awards to be based purely on talent and not regional bias.Addressing the disparity in recognition, she commended Fahadh Faasil and Parvathy Thiruvothu for taking a stand in 2018 when they refused to accept their awards under controversial circumstances. Urvashi noted, "I was happy when Fahadh Faasil and Parvathy Thiruvothu took a stand in 2018." She criticised the expectation to accept decisions unconditionally, highlighting the importance of dialogue and resolution.advertisementUrvashi stressed the value of education and confidence in questioning decision-making processes. She said, "There's more education here, there's confidence. Therefore, we question. Yes, there will be repercussions, but that's okay. Someone has to bell the cat."She further added, "The National Awards must be given purely for talent, nothing else. I don't crave awards, but when they come they should leave you feeling good, not like this. The jury should not take the south lightly, and think we will be happy receiving what they give us."Urvashi's comments have sparked a broader conversation about transparency and fairness in the awards process.- EndsTrending Reel
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