Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri has taken a stand against Filmfare Awards. He rued about how photographs of filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sooraj Barjatya and Anees Bazmee were not used in the nominations, but instead faces of actors like Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan and Kartik Aaryan were used to glamourise the awards rather than celebrate the spirit of cinema.
In a post he quipped, “I learnt from the media that The Kashmir Files is nominated in seven categories for the 68th Filmfare Awards. I politely refuse to be part of these unethical and anti-cinema awards. Here is why: According to them, other than the stars, nobody has a face. Nobody matters. That’s why, in their sycophant and unethical world master directors like Sanjay Bhansali or Sooraj Barjatya have no faces. Sanjay Bhansali looks like Alia Bhatt, Sooraj like Mr. Bachchan and Anees like Kartik. It’s not that a filmmaker’s dignity comes from these awards but this humiliating system must end. Therefore, as my protest and dissent against a corrupt, unethical and sycophant establishment of Bollywood, I have decided to not accept such awards.”
Vivek’s stand reminds one of Lata Mangeshkar’s stand at the same awards when she was called to sing Rasik Balma when music directors Shankar and Jaikishan won the award for Best Music Direction for 1957 film Chori Chori. Lata refused stating that since singers were not given awards, she would not. The next year, playback singers were given awards.
“I refuse to be part of any oppressive and corrupt system or awards which treats writers, directors and other HODs & film crew inferior to and/or as slaves to stars. My congratulations to all those who win and more to those who do not. The brighter side is that I am not alone. Slowly but steadily, a parallel Hindi film industry is emerging. Until then…” trailed off Agnihotri adding that these are not awards shows.
