Filmmaker Jeo Baby has expressed strong disappointment over The Kerala Story receiving honours at the 71st National Film Awards, calling the decision disturbing and undeserved.  "The awards given to The Kerala Story, a movie that misrepresented facts, are hugely disappointing,” he said in an interview with Hindustan Times. “Not only was the movie full of lies, it was also shoddily made. The script, direction and acting were below par. Such misrepresentation of facts is quite scary.”

Jeo, best known for helming the critically acclaimed films The Great Indian Kitchen and Kaathal - The Core, said the National Awards have increasingly favoured films that align with the political ideology of the ruling establishment. According to him, the credibility of the honours has eroded over the past decade, with artistic merit taking a backseat to political signalling. While he said he was not personally disappointed about Kaathal - The Core, headlined by Mammootty and Jyothika, being overlooked, he found the larger trend troubling.

Jeo also warned that repeated recognition of substandard or agenda-driven films could damage India’s international image and discourage genuine filmmakers.  He urged independent artists to continue focusing on meaningful cinema, stating that good art remains the strongest form of resistance. Filmmakers, he said, should move beyond making films for awards and instead concentrate on their craft without fear or favour.

The much-discussed, controversial Hindi film The Kerala Story walked away with two major wins—Best Direction to Sudipto Sen and Best Cinematography to Prasantanu Mohapatra—at the National Awards this year.