INDIA: The Kashmir Files fame filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri refused to be a part of the 68th Filmfare Awards 2023, which is about to happen on April 28, 2023.
Vivek Agnihotri refuses to be part of Filmfare Awards
Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files ruled the box office with its release on March 11, 2022. With a budget of Rs 15 crores, the movie managed to pull a whopping amount of Rs 340 crores on global level.
Besides the box office milestone, the featurette also bagged multitude of prestigious awards and nods. Recently, the Vivek Agnihotri-directed film receieved the Best Film award at Dada Saheb Phalke Awards 2023.
Now, Filmfare Awards has nominated The Kashmir Files in 7 categories. It bagged the nod in Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actor in Supporting Role, Best Screenplay and many more.
However, the filmmaker showed a lack of interest in being a part of the mega event. He said he is not going to be part of the “oppressive and corrupt system or awards which treats writers, directors and other HODs and crew members of a film inferior to and/or as slaves to stars.”
Vivek Agnihotri made an announcemnt on his Twitter handle regarding the Filmfare nominations. He wrote, “I learnt from media that #TheKashmirFiles is nominated in 7 categories for the 68th Filmfare Awards. But I politely refuse to be part of these unethical and anti-cinema awards.”
“Here is why: According to Filmfare, other than the stars, nobody has a face. Nobody matters. That’s why, in the sycophant and unethical world of Filmfare, Master Directors like Sanjay Bhansali or Sooraj Barjatya have no faces. Sanjay Bhansali looks like Alia Bhatt, Sooraj as Bachchan and Annes Bazmi as Karthik Aryan. It’s not that a filmmaker’s dignity comes from Filmfare Awards, but this humiliating system must end,” he added.
The filmmaker further added, “Therefore, as my protest and dissent against a corrupt, unethical and sycophant establishment of Bollywood, I have decided to not accept such awards. I refuse to be part of any oppressive and corrupt system or awards which treats writers, directors and other HODs and crew members of a film inferior to and/or as slaves to stars.”
He congratulated the winners and those who deserved to win but were unable to. Agnihotri wrote, “My congratulations to all those who win and more to those who do not. The brighter side is that I am not alone. Slowly but steadily, a parallel Hindi film industry is emerging. Until then…”
On the work front, Vivek Agnihotri is busy in his upcoming film The Vaccine War. The film is set to hit theatres on this Independence day in 11 languages.
Also Read: Vivek Agnihotri’s Next Film, ‘The Vaccine War’ Gets a Birthday Special Announcement
