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National Award-winning filmmaker Sudipto Sen, known for The Kerala Story (2024), has launched a scathing attack on this year’s Filmfare Awards, criticising the organisers for honouring Laapataa Ladies as Best Film. In a strongly worded Instagram post, Sen described the event as nothing more than a “tamasha in the name of cinema.”

Sudipto Sen takes a dig at Filmfare

Sharing a detailed note on his Instagram handle, the director wrote, “This year Filmfare truly is an expose of Indian ‘nouvelle vague’… A blatantly plagiarised film… a film which is a tutorial of brutality and a film which did not survive the box office for more than 72 hours took away most of the crowns. As expected the best work of 2024 remain elusive. Realised, why Filmfare was so vocal against The Kerala Story receiving National Awards. I am happy that this ‘wood’ community does not recognise, invite or choose us.”

Sen further wrote, “We are spared from faking smiles, faking comradier, and most importantly, not indulging in any sycophancy. In the end- I am happy that we are saved from hobnobbing with this tamasha in the name of cinema in Mumbai and clicking selfies in Cannes. Atleast we are saved from these ugly hypocrisies and fake tapestry in the name of cinema.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sudipto Sen (@sudipto_sen)

Sen’s message to the industry

In his caption, Sen added, “I never expect anything great from any Indian cinema establishment, particularly when it is media or cinema journalism. Mostly enamored by the glamor and rich-world of the stars, exactly the way people from villages and small cities gather in front of Mr. Bachchan or SRK’s house. They actually have ZERO contribution towards cinema, cinema art, the way world media does for world cinemas.”

Although he refrained from directly naming any titles, it was clear from his remarks that the “blatantly plagiarised film” referenced Laapataa Ladies, while “a tutorial of brutality” hinted at Kill, and the film that “did not survive at the box office for more than 72 hours” likely referred to I Want to Talk

Sen’s The Kerala Story recently earned him the National Award for Best Director, while the film also bagged the award for Best Cinematography. The film, which sparked widespread debate for its controversial portrayal of events, was one of the year’s most discussed releases.