Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty expressed dissent over news that president Ram Nath Kovind will felicitate only 11 out of the total 137 awardees at the 65th National Film Awards ceremony on Thursday (3 May).
"If the government of India cannot earmark three hours of its time, they should not bother giving us National Awards. More than 50% of our sweat, you take it as entertainment tax, the least you could do is respect the values we hold dear," tweeted Pookutty, who won a National Award for Best Audiography for Pazhassi Raja (2009).
On Wednesday the awardees were informed that a majority of them will receive the honour from information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani, while only 11 of them will be felicitated by the president.
Pookutty had last month made his displeasure apparent after he questioned the award committee's decision in adjudging the Best Audiography (Location Sound Recordist) award to Mallika Das for Village Rockstars (2017).