Adoor Gopalakrishnan speaks to media at Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi. Photo: OnmanoramaKochi: Slamming last year's national film awards jury, veteran Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan said he doubts whether the award committee followed any criteria. Adoor said he can't understand how Baahubali was chosen as the best film.
"The selection of Baahubali sends out a wrong message to the filmmakers that one should spend hundreds of crores of rupees to make a good film,” Adoor told media at Aspinwall House, the main venue of Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016.
His comments come a day after reports said he has written to the ministry of information and broadcasting urging it to ensure that the jury to select this year's national award is headed by a filmmaker of eminence who is familiar with modern trends in cinema and enjoys a national stature.
The maestro said a film like Baahubali should have been considered for awards meant for commercial films only.
Adoor also flayed the selection committee of Indian Panorama in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which was held in Goa in November. He said the selection panel sidelined several good films while giving more space for commercial films.
“I even heard that one of the jury members was worried that the makers of Rajinikanth's 'Kabaali' did not file the film as an entry for Indian Panorama,” Adoor said.
Adoor's “Pinneyum” was not among the Malayalam films screened at IFFI this year.
