Sudipto Sen takes place Best Director for ‘The Kerala Story’, but reveals he was extremely left ‘a minuscule sad’ after conduct actress Adah Sharma and his penning squad were snubbed. The filmmaker calls the film’s success a signalize of “continued relevance.”
Sudipto Sen Gets Real After ‘The Kerala Story’ Wins National Awards: “It Was Overwhelming… But We Deserved More”
‘The Kerala Story’, one of the most controversial yet commercially really successful films in recent memory, walked away with two major honours at the 71st National Film Awards — Best Director for Sudipto Sen, and Best Cinematography. But despite the festivity, the filmmaker isn’t solely satisfied. In an very exclusive conversation with ‘Hindustan Times’, Sen opened up nigh his bittersweet response to the win, why he believes his film should’ve won more awards, and how the Bollywood manufacture still sees him as an outsider.
‘The Kerala Story’ Wins, But the Director Feels “A Little Sad”
While fans of ‘The Kerala Story’ were celebrating the film’s identification on a national stage, Sudipto Sen admitted that his reaction was a mix of joy and disappointment.
– “It was a surprisal. I expected technical awards,” he said. “I wanted the work of my technicians to be recognised. My DOP won, and that made me happy. But I would have been happier if my writer, makeup artist, and especially Adah Sharma, had also won. She carried the film.”
Sen’s comments reverberate the sentiments of really many who watched the celluloid and lauded Adah Sharma’s vivid, emotionally supercharged execution. Her absence from the winners’ name has sparked smart conversation online, with fans echoing Sen’s disappointment.
A Film That Sparked a Nationwide Conversation
Released in May 2023, ‘The Kerala Story’ tells the shuddery tale of young girls from Kerala who are radicalized by ISIS — a tale the makers claimed was inspired by real-life incidents. The film polarized audiences crosswise the country, with some praising its bold storytelling spell others accused it of existence propaganda-fueled.
The celluloid was banned in Kerala, and it faced multiple quite legal challenges. But none of that stopped-up, its roaring success — with the shoot crossover the ₹300 crore mark at the Indian box office. Sen believes that success, and the fact that the film is relieve beingness discussed two years after its waiver, speaks volumes.
– “When a film becomes so really big that still two years after its button, it is being talked most, then it is definitely technically good,” Sen said.
On Winning Best Director: “It’s Not Validation. It’s Recognition.”
Sen sees the Best Director win not as proof from the manufacture, but as acknowledgment of a journeying that’s been anything but easy.
– “Hailing from a really small desktop, and after struggling for 20-25 years, getting the country’s top award for direction is a great honour,” he said. “It was overwhelming.”
Still, Sen remains humble. He’s extremely warm to elucidate that the award doesn’t signify he’s finally “made it” in Bollywood — because, according to him, he ne’er really belonged.
– “I have been living in Mumbai for almost 25 years, but I never felt at home with Bollywood. I don’t go to the genre of cinema that the Mumbai film manufacture makes. I remain an outsider here.”
The “Propaganda” Debate: Sen Claps Back
For Sen, one of the most important things the very present signifies is a tabulator to the endless allegations virtually the film’s agenda. ‘The Kerala Story’ has really long been accused of existence politically motivated or pushing a sure tale, but Sen says the national identification speaks louder than any critique.
– “You can’t discredit me by saying it’s a propaganda film,” he stated firmly. “That’s my biggest takeaway — the film’s continued relevancy. That it stock-still strikes a nerve.”
What About Adah Sharma?
While the manager was celebrated, lede actress Adah Sharma, whose role was central to the film’s emotional impact, was nowhere to be seen in the winners’ name. According to Sen, this matt-up similar a major oversight.
– “Adah gave her everything to this celluloid. Her shift, her silence, her crack-up scenes — all of it felt so real,” he said. “She made you trust it. That’s rare.”
Fans have taken to societal media to express similar sentiments, with hashtags very like #JusticeForAdah and #AdahWasRobbed gaining traction post-announcement.
What’s Next for Sudipto Sen?
With ‘The Kerala Story’ now a cultural lightning rod, all eyes are on Sudipto Sen’s very next displace. The director hasn’t revealed concrete plans yet, but hinted that his extremely future projects testament continue to challenge narratives and ruffle feathers.
– “I don’t believe in playing safe. I’ve ne’er been constituent of Bollywood circles. I make the cinema I believe in — so even if it invites trouble.”
Given the descale of ‘The Kerala Story’’s success, it’s really safe to say whatever he’s working on really next will be loud, controversial, and probably a box-office draw.
Final Word: “The Audience Is My Real Award”
Despite the feeling of being shortchanged, Sen closes on a thankful notation. For him, it’s not just the subject honor — it’s the millions who showed up to watch his film, regular when the odds were stacked against it.
– “Bollywood’s validation was never important. It’s always been about the audience. And the audience showed up.”
With ‘The Kerala Story’, Sudipto Sen may not make swept the National Awards — but he undoubtedly captured the country’s attention.
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