Soumitra Chatterjee: another National Award casualty!

Following in the footsteps of filmmaker Gautam Ghosh, who has refused to accept the the National Award for Best Bengali Film, Dekha, thespian Soumitra Chatterjee today spurned the Special Jury Award for his role of a blind poet in the film.

"For me, the award is meaningless. And I don't believe in portraying characters for getting awards. It is the appreciation of people which counts", says 68-year-old Chatterjee, who made his debut in Satyajit Ray's Apur Sansar.

"I have been aware of the lobbying surrounding the National Film Awards," he added.

Asked whether he had intimated his decision to the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Chatterjee shot back, "Why should I? Let them officially communicate to me and I will give a formal response."

Chatterjee said, "I did not get any such award in India in the past. And I have been always opposed the practice of receiving such awards."

Gautam Ghosh had on Thursday termed the National Film Awards as 'farcical' with reports indicating that the names of some winners had been decided before the official declaration.

"I don't want my film to be clubbed with an award tainted with controversies," Ghosh said.

PTI