National Awards 2023: PC Sreeram questions the politics behind ignoring Jai Bhim, criticizes The Kashmir Files

The 69th National Awards were announced yesterday, and unsurprisingly, it isn't free of controversies. While Tollywood and Bollywood bagged most of the awards, Kollywood buffs were left dejected. A few promising movies like Jai Bhim, Sarpatta Parambarai and Karnan were neglected, while Kadaisi Vivasayi was the only solace.

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Many film enthusiasts took to social media to express their displeasure over the jury for overlooking the talent in Tamil cinema and encouraging commercially-packed movies from Hindi and Telugu. 

Veteran lensman PC Sreeram, who often calls a spade a spade, has come out openly criticizing the criteria behind giving away awards. He took to his Twitter page to say that the film fraternity is united and that they are happy for those who bagged various recognitions.

However, he questioned why Jai Bhim was totally ignored. Sreeram asked whether there was any vested interest behind the movie's omission from the National Awards. In another tweet, he congratulated all the winners and took a jibe at The Kashmir Files, which won the Best Film for National Integration. His tweet read, "Congratulations to all the #NationalFilmAwards2023 #kashmir files  for being judged  as  a worst film  of the decade (sic)."

Sreeram, who won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography for Nayagan in 1987, recently signed a project with Prem Kumar of 96 fame. The movie, starring Karthi and Arvind Swami in lead roles, will be bankrolled by Suriya's 2D Entertainment.

ALSO READ: 30 years of Thevar Magan: PC Sreeram remembers the Kamal Haasan film, and calls it a classic 

Tollywood film Thank You was his last work; Netflix's anthology Navarasa was his previous work in Tamil. It has to be seen if the makers of The Kashmir Files would react to his comment.