Recently the 70th edition National Film Awards were announced that covered the films that were released in the span of 2022-2023. The awards provided recognition to many talented filmmakers and artists who worked exceptionally in their field. The award for Best Director was given to Sooraj Barjatya’s 2022 film Uunchai. This decision of awarding Sooraj Barjatya has received a mixed response from the people. Though some consider the movie to be commendable, still some feel there were better choices for the same.
Sooraj Barjatya undeniably has been one of the most successful and consistent directors of the industry. He has won multiple awards for his family dramas. But considering him for a National Film Awards, which is an honour given to the works of cinematic excellence and innovation, is a stretch. Uunchai is undoubtedly a great work of cinema. It was courageous of Sooraj to carve a successful movie out of old actors only, and in the meantime getting the best results out of those veterans, is commendable. Uunchai while certainly a heartwarming tale, hardly qualifies as groundbreaking or transformative.
The year 2022-23 had quite an exceptional number of films. Especially in case of regional cinema, a number of good works have been displayed. S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR for instance, was a visual spectacle that blended history, mythology, and action with unparalleled finesse, was a glaring omission. The film’s global impact and critical acclaim make its absence from the awards list perplexing. Similarly, movies like Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, Gautham Menon’s Kaatru Veliyidai etc. are some of the movies where the directors’ efforts are praiseworthy and could have been contenders for the award for Best Direction.
The National Film Awards are supposed to set a benchmark for the whole industry. And Barjatya’s work in Uunchai, though praiseworthy, cannot be called a work worth a National Award. The choice of Sooraj Barjatya as the Best Director has reignited the debate about the criteria for such awards and whether they truly reflect the diversity and complexity of Indian cinema.
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