 "Resul Pookutty on National Film Awards 2018 row: 'Thought at least nation would care about us'")
Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty expressed his frustration over news that President Ram Nath Kovind would felicitate only 11 out of the total 137 awardees at the 65th National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday, 3 May 2018. “If the government of India cannot earmark three hours of its time, they should not bother giving us National Awards. More than 50 percent of our sweat, you take it as entertainment tax, the least you could do is respect the values we hold dear,” tweeted Pookutty, who has also won a National Award in the past.
If the Govt.Of India cannot earmark three houres if it’s time, they should not bother us giving us #NationalAward. More than 50%of our sweat you take it as entertainment tax,the least you could do is respect the values we hold dear!
— resul pookutty (@resulp) May 3, 2018
[caption id=“attachment_4456571” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Resul Pookutty. Image via Twitter[/caption]
_Also read: National Film Awards 2018: 60 recipients giving ceremony a miss is not a boycott, but a dismissal of rudeness_
“Stars don’t care about us, business doesn’t care about us, and we thought our nation would care for us. The National Award is our nation’s highest recognition, being recognised at the honourable President’s hand is our privilege, our honour and our dream but I felt the nation’s sentiment got left out in the choices that were made yesterday, for it is the technicians who always get the raw deal,” he added in the Facebook post. On Wednesday, the awardees were informed that a majority of them will receive the honour from Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, while only 11 of them will be felicitated by the President. Pookutty had last month had made his displeasure apparent after he questioned the award committee’s decision in adjudging Best Audiography, which has gone to Mallika Das (Location Sound Recordist) for Village Rockstars and Sanal George (sound designer) and Justin A Jose (sound re-recording) for Walking With The Wind. Also read: Outrage over National Awards 2018 is justified: President's absence cheated artistes of earned honour With inputs from IANS
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