Veteran actor and filmmaker Prakash Raj has taken a sharp dig at the recently concluded National Film Awards, which recognized several popular names including Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Mohanlal. In a candid interaction following the announcement of the 55th Kerala State Film Awards, Prakash Raj expressed disappointment over the selection process at the national level and commended the Malayalam film industry for its integrity and artistic sincerity.
Prakash Raj, who served as the jury chairman for this year’s Kerala State Awards, didn’t mince words while comparing the two platforms. “That is not happening in the National Awards, and we see it. When files and piles are getting awards! When such sort of a jury and such sort of a national government… they don’t deserve Mammukka,” he told media, referring to Malayalam superstar Mammootty.
The acclaimed actor praised Mammootty’s haunting performance in Bramayugam, a 2024 Malayalam-language period folk horror thriller directed by Rahul Sadasivan. For the unversed, the actor was honored with the Best Actor Award for his role in the film at the Kerala State Awards. Set against the eerie backdrop of feudal-era Kerala, Bramayugam blends myth, mystery, and folklore to deliver a chilling narrative. The film, produced by YNOT Studios and Night Shift Studios, also stars Arjun Ashokan and Sidharth Bharathan, and serves as the second installment in Sadasivan’s evolving horror cinematic universe.
Opening up about how he was approached for the Kerala jury, Prakash Raj added, “I don’t mind saying that National Film Awards are compromised. I am so happy to be a jury chairman of Kerala because when they called me, they said we need an outsider who is experienced, and we will not poke our hands into it, and we will let you take the decision.”
The 55th Kerala State Film Awards were announced by Minister of Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian on November 3 in Thrissur, Kerala. The evening celebrated some of Malayalam cinema’s finest achievements, with Manjummel Boys sweeping 10 awards, including Best Direction.
With his latest remarks, Prakash Raj has once again sparked debate over the credibility of major film award bodies, questioning whether true artistic merit is being recognized in India’s most prestigious platforms.
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