As the debate over Raayan winning the National Award for Best Tamil Film continues, actor Khushbu has shared her thoughts on the larger issue of how the National Film Awards are decided, saying she has long questioned the selection process rather than the winners themselves.
Speaking in an interview with Behindwoods, Khushbu said she often wonders what parameters the jury follows while evaluating films across languages. "Like others, I also have the doubt. Under what criteria are the National Awards being conferred? Under what criteria is a selection committee or jury constituted?" she said.
Drawing attention to regional cinema, Khushbu questioned whether equally deserving films from smaller industries receive the same consideration. "If they're awarding one film as the Best Film, there might have been an Odia film that is better than that. Why didn't the Odia film win instead? When a Gujarati film is brilliant, why isn't it given the Wholesome Entertainment award? Why does it always go to Hindi films and not regional films?" she asked.
While she admitted that she has often wondered whether juries are influenced by the popularity of certain films or prevailing public sentiment, Khushbu stopped short of questioning the integrity of the panel itself. "Sometimes, I think these jury members get carried away with a wave or the common mentality of what film was the biggest of the year. But I don't think there are any grey areas when it comes to the selection committee," she said.
Khushbu's comments come amid the ongoing discussion surrounding Raayan's National Award win. The film's selection as Best Tamil Film sparked divided reactions online, with some viewers arguing that other Tamil releases from 2024, including Meiyazhagan, Amaran and Maharaja, were stronger contenders.
The award has, however, found support from several members of the Tamil film industry. Choreographer Kala, who served on the National Awards jury, defended the decision, praising Dhanush's direction in Raayan and his performance in Captain Miller. Composer D Imman also urged audiences to celebrate the recognition for Tamil cinema, irrespective of differing opinions on the verdict.
Dhanush himself later addressed the debate, acknowledging that many believed other films deserved the honour while also pointing out that several of his own earlier works, including Pudhupettai, Vada Chennai, Karnan, Maryan and Raanjhanaa, had gone unrewarded despite receiving widespread acclaim.
