Paresh Rawal Defends National Film Awards Move to Gujarat
Paresh Rawal has defended moving the National Film Awards ceremony to Gujarat, questioning the controversy over holding the event outside Delhi.
Actor Paresh Rawal has defended the decision to move the National Film Awards ceremony from Delhi to Gujarat, dismissing the controversy surrounding the change of venue. He questioned why holding the event in Gujarat should be considered an issue when the state is part of India.
Rawal argued that major national events should not necessarily remain restricted to the capital. He pointed out that while the Republic Day parade is held in Delhi, other national functions could also be organised across different states.
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be held in Kevadia, now known as Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on September 22. President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to present the honours. The move marks only the second time in the awards’ 72-year history that the ceremony will be held outside Delhi. The 17th edition took place in Chennai in 1971.
Kevadia is home to the Statue of Unity, the 597-foot monument dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The winners for this year’s awards were announced in July. Article 370 won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion, respectively.
Randeep Hooda won Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, while Kalki 2898 AD received the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment award. Captain Miller won the award for Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values.
The Gujarat venue has become a talking point around this year’s ceremony, but Rawal believes national film honours can be celebrated outside Delhi as well.
