Mammootty films not submitted to National Awards.Mammootty's National Film Award Snub: No Submissions, Not a Jury Decision, Says Jury Member.
The 70th National Film Awards, announced on Friday, August 16, sparked disappointment among Mammootty fans, as neither the actor nor his critically acclaimed films received recognition. However, National Film Award jury member MB Padmakumar has clarified that the absence of Mammootty's films was not due to a lack of merit but rather the absence of submissions.
Padmakumar, a member of the South Jury, revealed to Manorama Online that Lijo Jose Pellissery's acclaimed 2022 drama Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, featuring Mammootty in the lead, was a strong contender for the award. "The truth is that not a single film starring Mammootty was submitted for consideration this year," he stated.
The filmmaker expressed his frustration at the "negative" narrative surrounding the situation, emphasizing that the decision to not submit Mammootty's films was not made by the jury. "We need to ask who made this decision," he asserted.
Padmakumar concluded that the failure to submit Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam was a significant mistake, not just for Mammootty but for Malayalam cinema as a whole.
Meanwhile, the 70th National Film Award for Best Feature Film went to the Malayalam drama Aattam. Actor Rishab Shetty won Best Actor, while Nithya Menen and Manasi Parekh shared the Best Actress award. Actor Manoj Bajpayee received a special mention for his performance in Gulmohar.
This clarification from a jury member sheds light on the real reason behind Mammootty's absence from the National Film Awards, shifting the focus from the jury's decision to the lack of submissions. It remains unclear who was responsible for this omission and the implications for the future of submissions from Malayalam cinema.