National Film Awards Integrity Questioned by Prakash Raj

New Delhi, November 4, 2025: Sharp criticism has been leveled at the National Film Awards by acclaimed actor and filmmaker Prakash Raj, whose comments were shared widely in a viral video. The national honours were declared to be “compromised”, with the integrity of the selection process being strongly questioned. This assertion was made by Mr. Raj during a press conference following the announcement of the Kerala State Film Awards, where he served as the jury chairman.

Jury Decisions Denounced for Ignoring Mammootty

The National Awards jury was strongly denounced for repeatedly overlooking veteran actor Mammootty, despite his consistent delivery of acclaimed performances. It was emphatically stated by Prakash Raj that the national recognition process “doesn’t deserve” an actor of Mammootty’s caliber. This controversial statement was made in the context of Mammootty winning the Best Actor award at the 55th Kerala State Film Awards for his performance in ‘Bramayugam,’ an accolade that was celebrated by his fans.

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‘Files and Piles’ Remark Generates Debate

The perceived political or non-artistic influence on the National Awards was highlighted through a particularly pointed remark. It was observed that awards are being given to “files and piles,” a phrase widely understood to be a veiled reference to films of questionable merit or those aligned with a particular narrative, which are believed to be gaining recognition over genuine artistic works. The implication was that decisions are not being made purely on cinematic excellence, sparking a fervent debate across the film industry and social media.

Contrast Drawn with State-Level Selection Process

A clear contrast was drawn between the National Awards process and the state-level selection in Kerala. It was proudly noted that the Kerala State Film Awards jury was granted complete independence, with no external interference being experienced during the decision-making process. This transparency was cited as the reason for the perceived fairness and recognition of true talent, a level of integrity that was claimed to be absent at the national level. The actor’s viral comments have thus reignited a significant public discussion on the transparency and criteria employed in India’s most prestigious film award selections.