National Film Awards jury member Sajin Baabu slams Kerala State Film Development Corporation

The Biriyaani director has claimed that the KSFDC neglected its responsibilities when sending a film produced by them as an official submission to the National Awards

A still from Nishiddho and Sajin Baabu

Sajin Baabu, who is known for films like Biriyaani and Ayaal Sasi, has attacked the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) after the National Film Awards 2023 was announced. Through a Facebook post, the director has alleged that the KSFDC committed severe negligence by sending a film to the National Awards without a censor certificate.

The film in question is director Tara Ramanujan's Nishiddho, which is produced by the KSFDC under the Kerala government's pioneering project, Films Directed by Women. In his Facebook post, Sajin questioned the KSFDC about whether such acts were political or personal vendettas.

Also Read: OTTplay at BIFFes: Nishiddho movie review - A tale of two migrants and a little girl

Sajin's Facebook post read, "I have always admired the Kerala State government's projects to bankroll four films a year to empower women directors and filmmakers from marginalised sections. Rs 1.5 crore was allotted to each film under the project. But from the beginning, there have been several complaints from women directors against KSFDC that have surfaced in the public domain."

"I thought that the complaints were due to the usual delay in government procedures. I watched Nishiddho as a jury member of the National Film Awards 2023. Most of the jury was impressed with the film, but it was later found that the film didn't conform to the guidelines of the jury when it came to its duration. I understood that the film was submitted without a proper censorship certificate. Why would KSFDC do such a thing despite being a well-equipped institution in the state?  I don't think this is an innocent mistake on their side."

"Isn't this a grave injustice to a film made from the taxpayer's money and also to the cast and crew of the film? Why would a government institution like KSFDC neglect its responsibilities when sending a film produced by them as an official submission to the National Awards? Is this a personal or political vendetta against someone? KSFDC authorities need to answer this. This accusation is not unfounded, as it is supported by evidence."

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