Vivek Agnihotri Refuses Filmfare Awards Despite Nods In 7 Categories: I Refuse To Be Part Of These Unethical Awards

'The Kashmir Files', a movie by director Vivek Agnihotri, is competing for seven Filmfare Awards, including Best Director, however Agnihotri has declined to attend.

New Delhi: 'The Kashmir Files', a movie by director Vivek Agnihotri, is competing for seven Filmfare Awards, including Best Director, however Agnihotri has declined to attend. In a statement, Vivek stated that he does not want to be a part of a "oppressive and corrupt system or awards which treats writers, directors, and other HODs & crew members of a film inferior to and/or as slaves to stars." Vivek responded to a tweet about the Filmfare nominations this year by writing a lengthy letter criticising the awards and discussing the emergence of a new parallel Hindi film industry.

Taking to his official Twitter handle on Thursday, Vivek Agnihotri shared the Filmfare nominations and wrote, "I learnt from media that #TheKashmirFiles is nominated in 7 categories for the 68th Filmfare Awards. But I politely refuse to be part of these unethical and anti-cinema awards. Here is why: According to Filmfare, other than the stars, nobody has a face. Nobody matters. That’s why, in the sycophant and unethical world of Filmfare, Master Directors like Sanjay Bhansali or Sooraj Barjatya have no faces. Sanjay Bhansali looks like Alia Bhatt, Sooraj like Mr. Bachchan and Annes Bazmi like Karthik Aryan. It’s not that a filmmaker’s dignity comes from Filmfare Awards but this humiliating system must end.”

He continued, "Therefore, as my protest and dissent against a corrupt, unethical and sycophant establishment of Bollywood, I have decided to not accept such awards. I refuse to be part of any oppressive and corrupt system or awards which treats writers, directors and other HODs & crew members of a film inferior to and/or as slaves to stars.”

The filmmaker congratulated the winners and wrote, "My congratulations to all those who win and more to those who do not. The brighter side is that I am not alone. Slowly but steadily, a parallel Hindi film industry is emerging. Until then… सिर्फ हंगामा खड़ा करना मेरा मकसद नहीं, मेरी कोशिश है कि ये सूरत बदलनी चाहिए। मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही, हो कहीं भी आग, लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिए। - दुष्यंत कुमार"

The Kashmir Files is nominated for Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Anupam Kher), Best Supporting Actor (Mithun Chakraborty), and Best Actor (Darshan Kumar) in addition to Vivek being nominated in the Best Director category. It was one of the highest grossing films of 2022.