MB Padmakumar, who is a director and a member of the jury for the National Film Awards, opened up about Mammootty not winning the Best Actor award for his performance in the 2022 film Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam.

The National Award for the Best Actor category was given to Kannada actor Rishab Shetty for his performance in the mythological thriller Kantara (2022). There was a lot of speculation and outcry about Mammootty getting snubbed by the jury after the announcement was made on Friday.

“People are quick to blame the government, but the fact is that Mammootty’s films were simply not submitted. We need to ask who made this decision," said MB Padmakumar in an interview with Onmanorama. "I was part of the jury, and I can say with certainty that there was no external influence. If there was any interference, it did not come from the government."

Padmakumar also said that the failure to submit the film for consideration was a mistake, and it was a loss not only for Mammootty but for Malayalam cinema as well.