Adah Sharma On Negativity Around The Kerala Story National Award Win: 'Villains Never Think...'

News18

2 days ago

Last Updated:
Adah Sharma opens up on Kerala Story's National Award win, hitting back at trolls calling it undeserving and addressing industry silence, saying she 'can't ask people to tweet.'
Adah Sharma's The Kerala Story won a National Award in Best Director and Best Cinematography categories, but even after receiving one of the highest honours, the journey didn't get any easier, as many called the win undeserving. In an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, Adah Sharma opened up about how she dealt with the negativity that came her way.
'Villains in stories never think the hero deserves to win," Adah shared, adding, 'It's not like I'm calling everyone a villain — everyone is entitled to their opinions. The people I call villains are those who spread negativity unnecessarily. Just like how we never question people who like the film, we also can't take away the opinion of those who don't. But if you spread negativity without reason, then yes, I will stick to calling you a villain."
Addressing the criticism of the film being labelled propaganda, the actress said, 'Till the time it doesn't happen with you or your family member, you just don't want to believe that it's true."
Adah Sharma On Not Getting Appreciation From The Industry
When asked if she feels she has received enough appreciation from her colleagues in the industry, Adah admitted, 'Industry-wise, I don't think that appreciation came. But my mom and dad are not from the industry, and appreciation also depends on how we define it. I can't go around asking people to tweet for me. If someone genuinely wants to do it, they will; if not, I can't force it. I personally got messages from people in the industry, but I can't ask them to put it out publicly."
Backlash On National Award Win
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 created a major stir upon its release in 2023. The film follows the story of three women from Kerala who were allegedly forced into religious conversion and radicalised by ISIS. Its claim that 32,000 women were affected had faced intense scrutiny during the time of its release. The cast features 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.