The Kerala Story was one of the most controversial films of the year 2023 ( The controversies has nothing to do with the “CINEMA” though). Despite all the political chaos, the film managed to win two National Film Awards at the 71st National Film Awards: one for Best Direction and another for Best Cinematography. These awards raised plenty of eyebrows.
But then came a surprise that wasn’t really a big deal; Adaah Sharma, the lead actress who carried the entire film on her shoulders, didn’t win anything. Not even a special mention. Not even a consolation prize. Nothing.
Now, for a movie that was honoured in two important categories, one would expect the lead actress to have been award-worthy too, right? Except, most people who actually watched the film might disagree (especially, the Kerala audience). Adaah’s acting ranged from cringe to exaggerated, and her attempt at a Malayali accent forced Keralites to fall between laughing and cringing. Many audience pointed out that her dialogue delivery felt unreal and subtly forced, especially in scenes that were meant to be deeply emotional.
So, was she “robbed”? Or did the jury quietly drew the line somewhere? So that, the audience won’t make a fuss out of ‘The Kerala Story’ again (Ofcourse, nothing about the “CINEMA”).
Let’s be honest, the film winning two awards was already too devastating for many cinema lovers. Critics, actors, and even political leaders from Kerala strongly objected to the recognition, calling the film biased and a misleading propoganda. It’s not often that a National Award win is followed by more controversy, but this time don’t you think the juries were too biased?
In that context, maybe the jury did what they could to balance things out. Give the film a couple of technical awards for direction and cinematography, and casually skip over the acting that didn’t quite impress the audience (It’s not like the movie was quite impressive). Adaah Sharma, despite being the face of the film, just didn’t excel in a performance that could actually make her win a national-level recognition. And that’s okay, not every propoganda needs to be fed with awards.
Adaah Sharma missing out on the award might actually be the most sensible decision the jury made, especially after awarding Vikrant Massey for his truly deserving performance.
Also Read: 71st National Film Awards: Kerala Leaders Criticize BJP Over ‘Kerala Story’
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