Editorial 20 August 2024

Editorial 20 August 2024

editorial
Good, not ugly: On the 70th National Film Awards

Film awards regained some prestige by sticking with good cinema 

The National Film Awards appeared to be facing a credibility crisis in recent years following some questionable choices and glaring omissions. For instance, last year, the award for ‘Best Feature Film on National Integration’, for The Kashmir Files, encapsulated the general political thrust of the awards, where, during the screenings, cinema theatres became platforms for communal sloganeering. Thus, the 70th National Film Awards, declared earlier this week, came as a sort of surprise, somewhat redeeming the prestige associated with the highest cinematic honours. Malayalam film Aattam, directed by debutant Anand Ekarshi, became an interesting choice for the Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay and Best Editing winner, especially in the era of the #MeToo movement. Without ever slipping into preachiness, the film-maker uses the subtle chamber drama to analyse male behaviour after a woman raises an allegation of sexual abuse within a theatre group. The award also comes at a time when protests and debates are roiling the country after the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. Kannada film Kantara, which won Best Popular Film, and also fetched its director Rishab Shetty the Best Actor Award, taps into folk traditions to raise contemporary environmental concerns. Bhoota Kola, a tribal ritualistic performance from coastal Karnataka, is the centrepiece, with Shetty’s frenzied interpretation in the climax going a long way towards the film’s success as well as getting him the national award.

One commonality between these films is the lack of a formula, especially the kind dictated by corporate studios. Aattam, in fact, originated from a theatre group, giving its working-class members a chance at cinema; they play themselves in the film. Nithya Menen’s Best Actress award is also an unconventional choice — as the effervescent Shobhana in Thiruchitrambalam, hers is not a typical award-bait role. Yet, within the film’s scheme, it was a stunning performance which raised its overall effect by several notches. The awards reinforce the recent trend of South Indian cinema surpassing Bollywood, which, despite its humongous budgets, has been finding it hard to match the consistent quality of content from regional industries. It is also heartening that the juries and the larger public have started discovering more meaningful content from the southern industries. The National Awards in the 70th edition seem to have fulfilled, to an extent, the purpose for which they were instituted: to celebrate good cinema.

Meaning of the word :

WordMeaningSynonymsAntonyms
OmissionsOmissions refers to instances where something is left out or not included, often unintentionally. It is derived from the verb “omit,” which means to leave out or exclude something.Exclusions
Neglects
Oversights
Exceptions

Inclusions
Additions
Completions
Involvements  
EncapsulatedEncapsulated means to express or show the most important facts about something
Contained
Enclosed
Wrapped
Summarized  
Opened
Revealed
Unprotected
Expanded  
PreachinessThe quality of seeming to want to give moral advice, even when this is not wanted or needed.
Moralizing
Lecturing
Didacticism
Sermonizing  
Objective
Neutral
Reserved
Neutral
HumongousHumongous is an informal adjective used to describe something that is extremely large or enormous.Huge
Gigantic
Massive
Enormous  
Tiny
Small
Compact
Microscopic

Fuel your success with Edusprint! Our seasoned faculty, proven strategies, and personalized support ensure a transformative learning experience. Enroll now to conquer competitive exams and fast-track your dream job. #EdusprintSuccess

10-years-exp-in-competitive-exams-coaching-edusprint-ssc-railway-tnpsc-bank-coaching

Edusprint Academy for SSC, Railways, TNPSC, Bank Exams.

Shape Your Future with Edusprint - Igniting Careers for Success!

Discover Exclusive Course Fee Offers: Inquire Now for Special Deals!

Latest & Trending Posts

Inquire Now

All Inquiries will get a Demo Class & Study Materials for Free