Director H Vinoth, who is awaiting the release of CM Vijay's final film Jana Nayagan, shared his take on the controversies surrounding the recently-announced 72nd National Film Awards and asserted that actor Dhanush deserved the recognitions he was given.
Speaking to Cinema Express in an exclusive conversation, H Vinoth noted that Dhanush is a fantastic actor who truly deserved the win. "There is no doubt about that. If an award is given to a deserving candidate, questioning why someone else did not receive it is unnecessary," he said, providing his broader views on how film awards are determined.
For the unversed, film enthusiasts and audiences expressed their disappointment over the committee's decision to recognise certain films, such as Dhanush's Raayan (Best Tamil Film), Pushpa 2: The Rule (Best Original Screenplay for Sukumar), Article 370 (Best Film, Best Actress for Yami Gautam) while excluding critically acclaimed films like Meiyazhagan and Thangalaan.
Addressing criticism surrounding the National Film Awards, H Vinoth said that while the jury comprises only a small group of members, constructive criticism should be used to improve the process rather than question its intent.
"The film awards are decided by a small crew of members. If there are criticisms about the decisions, then steps should be taken to ensure such mistakes are not repeated. I don't think people do it deliberately. A decision for an award is made after careful thought," he said.
He further emphasised that campaigning for a film is just as important as making one. "It's also important how you position a film for an award. It doesn't end with making a good film and filling out a form. You have to follow through, understand how audiences across states are receiving it, including in North India," he added.
Vinoth also maintained that the National Film Awards process has largely remained fair and dismissed the notion that awards could be "influenced" or "bought." "I have never heard of such incidents. You also need to see whether the committee members have watched the film. I'm not entirely sure about every aspect of the process, but it has mostly remained fair," he said.
Recently, choreographer Kala Master, who served as a jury member in the Feature Films category for the National Awards, heaped praise on Dhanush, revealing that the jury unanimously felt his performance in Captain Miller deserved special recognition. She also lauded Dhanush's directorial work in Raayan, which won the National Award for Best Tamil Film. "He directed Raayan so beautifully," she remarked.