Prithviraj's The Goat Life snubbed at National Awards: Ashutosh Gowariker felt performances was not 'authentic'
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Prithviraj's The Goat Life snubbed at National Awards: Ashutosh Gowariker felt performances was not 'authentic'")
Poster of Prithviraj's the Goat Life Photograph: (X)
Prithviraj's film The Goat Life was snubbed at the National Awards, triggering a major backlash. Netizens are questioning how the jury could ignore this biographical drama while honoring other movies like The Kerala Story.
The 71st National Film Awards were announced on August 1, Friday evening. This year, the winners' list was dominated by Bollywood films and stars, with Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, and Rani Mukerji taking home top honours. Since the announcement, debates have erupted online over the selection of winners, with netizens questioning the jury’s decision-making process.
Among the points of discussion were snubbing of Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran. Directed and co-produced by Blessy, this Malayalam-language biographical survival drama was one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2024.
The snub of both the film and Sukumaran’s performance has sparked intense debate across social media. Adding fuel to the fire was the controversial film The Kerala Story which received honours for Best Direction and Best Cinematography. This has led many to question how the jury selected the winners.
Amid the controversy, jury member and filmmaker Pradeep Nair revealed that he raised serious objections to The Kerala Story winning awards.
“As a Malayali on the panel, I raised serious objections. I questioned how a film that defames a state like Kerala and serves as propaganda could be considered for a national honour. I even conveyed my concerns directly to the jury chairperson," Nair said during a conversation with Onmanorama.
He also noted how he was the only one who called Kerala Story a propaganda movie.
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“I was the only one who labelled it as propaganda. Others argued that even if it was controversial, it tackled a relevant social issue,” he said.
The other notable contender was Sukumaran's movie which failed to secure a single win. Addressing that, Nair revealed that jury chairperson Ashutosh Gowariker felt that the movie lacked naturality and the performances didn't feel authentic.
“He had seen the movie at a previous film festival in Goa and had serious concerns about the film’s adaptation and execution. Gowariker and others also felt the adaptation lacked naturality and the performances didn’t feel authentic,” he added.
Actor KR Gokul's character received praise for his performance. Still, he was not awarded due to the overall quality of the movie.
“K R Gokul’s character was widely appreciated by the jury for its freshness and impact. Still, he was not awarded as categories also considered the overall quality of the film,” Nair added. Gokul played the role of Hakim in the movie.
Netizens have been strongly condemning the Goat Life being snubbed.
One user wrote,''"The Goat Life" deserved a National Award, but looks like the jury forgot what cinema is. One of the finest films snubbed — proves again, sometimes the real joke is not on screen, but in the jury room. ‘’
Another user wrote,''#Prithviraj gave his blood & soul for #Aadujeevitham ( #TheGoatLife ) & delivered an outstanding performance..!💎National Awards failed here. Indians failed here. Art failed here. Talent failed here. Hardwork failed here.!!💔💯''
Third user wrote, ''It hurts when a film like #Aadujeevitham, that moved hearts and shook souls, gets overlooked for Best Film and Best Actor. This wasn’t just cinema, it was a lived experience. What more do we expect from art?''
