National Awards controversy: Boney Kapoor doesn't understand what all the fuss is about 

Producer Boney Kapoor, who accepted the Best Actress award for Mom (2017) given posthumously to wife and actress Sridevi, downplayed the controversy surrounding the 65th National Awards held in Delhi yesterday. President Ram Nath Kovind handed over Sridevi's award to Kapoor.

Speaking to ANI news agency, Kapoor said, "I would have been equally happy if the minister of information and broadcasting had given me the award. It is ultimately the recognition of your work. I don’t understand what the fuss is about. There is no harm in receiving the award by the concerned ministry.” Sridevi passed away on 24 February this year after she accidently drowned in the bath tub of her Dubai hotel room.

The 65th National Film Awards ceremony was a departure from tradition of the Indian president handing over the awards to all the winners. Many "hurt" recipients even skipped the ceremony on as president Kovind had time to present only 11 out of 125 awards.

Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia, whose film Parzania (2007) bagged a couple of National Awards, was critical of the president’s decision.

Actress Richa Chadha, who starred in Masaan (2015) that won director Neeraj Ghaywan the National Award for Best Debut Film of a director, felt that the government never takes the entertainment industry seriously.