The Telugu film industry celebrated Allu Arjun’s historic win as he became the first Tollywood star to clinch the National Award for Best Actor for his role in “Pushpa” at the 69th National Film Awards. However, amidst the jubilation, actor Nani expressed disappointment over the snubbing of Suriya’s sociopolitical film “Jai Bhim.”
Nani took to Instagram, posting “Jai Bhim” with a heartbreak emoji. While many supported Nani’s stance, some Telugu fans were disheartened by his failure to celebrate Allu Arjun’s victory. At a recent SIIMA 2023 event, Rana Daggubati, one of the guests, addressed the controversy surrounding the national awards.
When asked by a journalist if Nani’s criticism was due to competition, Rana emphasized that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Rana explained that artists, like everyone else, have preferences for different kinds of cinemas. If a movie they adore doesn’t win, it can make them sad, but it doesn’t mean they’re disappointed that other else won. Rana stressed that there was no controversy among them; it was just a tweet, not a major issue.
Despite critical acclaim, “Jai Bhim” and “Sarpatta Parambarai” didn’t receive any National Film Awards, sparking doubts about the selection process. Tamil film fans expressed their frustration on Twitter, criticizing the jury for overlooking Tamil and Malayalam cinema.