Jury Chairman Ashutosh Gowariker REVEALS why ‘The Kerala Story’ won two National Awards: ‘It’s a difficult topic...’

The 71st National Film Awards were announced on 1 August. Some wins led to applause, while others raised eyebrows. Among the most talked-about films was ‘The Kerala Story’, which bagged two major awards, Best Direction and Best Cinematography. Released in 2023, ‘The Kerala Story’s cast includes Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, Siddhi Idnani, and others.Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film was surrounded by controversy from its release. But now, with its double win at the National Awards, it has created a stir again. Jury Chairperson Ashutosh Gowariker has stepped in to explain why the film was chosen and what led to this unexpected recognition.Speaking to NDTV, Gowariker first explained why Prasantanu Mohapatra won Best Cinematography. “The cinematography in The Kerala Story was very stark and realistic,” he said. “It didn’t ever try to overpower the narrative; the images were created within the realm of things. So, we applauded that.”Gowariker also shared why Sudipto Sen was awarded Best Direction. He pointed out the challenges of the film’s subject and praised how it was handled. “It’s a difficult topic and to convey that with the kind of clarity that as a jury we felt the need to applaud it.”While the jury praised the film, the decision did not go down well with everyone. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the awards in a post shared on X. He wrote, “By honouring a film that spreads blatant misinformation with the clear intent of tarnishing Kerala’s image and sowing seeds of communal hatred, the jury of the #NationalFilmAwards has lent legitimacy to a narrative rooted in the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar.”Vijayan continued, “Kerala, a land that has always stood as a beacon of harmony and resistance against communal forces, has been gravely insulted by this decision. It is not just Malayalis, but everyone who believes in democracy, must raise their voice in defence of truth and the constitutional values we hold dear.”