The Filmfare awards were reproduction of Star Screen awards.

The Filmfare awards were reproduction of Star Screen awards.

The 2010 Filmfare awards were absolute reproduction of Star Screen awards. Big B won the award for the best actor for his performance in the film Paa. Vidya Balan won the best actress for the performance in the same. Amir Khan’s performance in The 3 idiots went in vain.

It is nothing new that Big B never won any award for versatile performances in the films Akhree Rasta, Indrajeet, Akela, etc., but when the name got converted into brand name the awards had been running after him. Same thing had happened with AR Rehman. When he composed music for Roza, or Bombay, or Saathiya, there was innovation the main yardstick of awards. These days whenever even if he creates mediocre music in Delhi 6, he gets awards. Neither is there any promotion of new talents, nor recognition for good work. Pritam, Shantanu Moitra had just created good music in the films Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani and The 3 idiots.

Among the list of manipulated awards some rewards for genuine good performances included the award won by Boman Irani for best supporting actor in the film The 3 idiots. He has potential of the same lights of Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Also Ranbir Kapoor won the critics’ choice award for his performance in the films Wake Up Sid, Rocket Singh, etc.

The male and female singer award does not prove anything. Kavita Seth and Rekha Bharadwaj had won the awards for the film Delhi 6. The songs were ordinary by every musical standards. Also Mohit Chauhan’s award proves nothing.

The sad part of these filmfare awards is that it had huge heritage of stalwarts like Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Balraj Sahani, Raj Kapoor winning the awards under different categories in the past. Critics even argue that there is hardly any justification of the best actor, the category should have been best hero.

The national awards still have some relevance. Filmfare awards had been a tool, either purchased or manipulated or rigged.

Among Amir Khan and Hrithik Roshan who is going to win filmfare award for best actor?

Among Amir Khan and Hrithik Roshan who is going to win filmfare award for best actor?

With the filmfare awards for the excellence in cinema going to be declared soon, the viewers wonder that who is going to win the film fare award in each category. The viewers are curious to know whether Hrithik Roshan or Amir Khan who is going to win the film fare award for the best actor for 2008. Hrithik did a marvelous job in Jodha Akbar, while Amir Khan had amazed the viewers with his classic performance in the film Ghajini. Sometimes filmfare awards are given to some actors or actresses who are not even thought of by most section of the people. If Shahrukh Khan wins it again for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, it will be a wonder of wonders.

Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif had given most of the hits of the year, but acting is considered separately, Priyanka should win the filmfare award for best actress for her performance in the film Fashion. Kareena Kapoor or Preeti Zinta had not done any notable work in 2008, although Aishwarya Rai has the chance of bagging another filmfare award with her performance in the film Jodha Akbar.

Anil Kapoor should get the best supporting actor award for his dynamic performance in the film Yuvvraaj. Similarly Kangana Ranaut and Neha Dhupia should get the same award for the female category for their performance in the films Fashion and Singh is Kinng respectively.

In respect of best composer AR Rehman has the chance of bagging it once again with his powerful music in the films Ghajini, Yuvvraaj, Jane Tu Ya Jane Na and Jodha Akbar. Vishal Shekhar had done a great job in the film Bacchna Aye Haseeno and Pritam was sublime in the films Race and Singh is Kinng.

Ghajini, Race, Jodha Akbar and Singh is Kinng should get the nominations for the best film of the year 2008. Accordingly the directors of those films have the chance of bagging the award for the best director of 2008.

In the singers list a number of male singers like Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Kunal Ganjawala, Atif Aslam have the scope of getting best singer award. The female singers including Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan, Alisha Chinoi, Alka Yagnik can win the best female playback singer award.

Whoever wins the filmfare awards on the respective category, in 2009, the competition is going to be neck to neck as many films had received viewers acclamation in the year and entertained the audience.

Should Filmfare awards have second best and third best awards?

Should Filmfare awards have second best and third best awards?

As only few actors, actresses, composers, singers, directors, etc., had repeatedly received the Indian filmfare awards, it can be debated that should there be second best and third best awards, in order to extend the list of recipients of these awards, the way it is done in case of National Awards. Even second best films are awarded under National Award scheme which is considered the most neutral award presented by the Government of India in respect of excellence of films.

If we look back at these awards, we will find that Dilip Kumar had won the best actor award 8 times, Shankar Jaikishan had won the best composer award 9 times. The reason these achievements are mentioned is because for those number of times any other actor or composer could not get any award. Instead of that if there had been second best or third best award, it could have encouraged others for performing even better in these films.

These days there has been a trend that the notable personalities who did not receive any award are given a lifetime achievement award to show their contribution to bollywood films. But there is a lot of doubt whether the actors like Dharmender or Jeetender who never got any best actor award were content with their lifetime achievement awards.

Another feature of filmfare awards had been the selected categories under which awards had been given. There was no award for best dancer, which could have rewarded the great efforts of quality dancers like Vaijayantimala, Asha Parekh, Hema Malini, Jaya Prada, Sri Devi, Madhuri Dixit, etc. Among them some of them received best actress award in notable roles and did not mind the fact that their dancing efforts were not rewarded.

In respect of composers, the filmfare awards could identify very few composers, although Indian musical heritage and cultural heritage had been enhanced by rich creation of Vasant Desai, C. Ramchandran, Ghulam Mohammad, Jaidev, who hardly received any recognition for their immortal creations. There is also a debate regarding the term of best supporting actor or actress. Whether these actors or actresses did support the main actor or actress in the respective film is a big question mark. It would have been better if they were categorised as best character actor or actress award. Most of the actors and actresses believe that the greatest satisfaction that they have is when their film becomes commercially successful which shows the love and affection of the viewers. The filmfare awards can be re-modelled for addressing more recipients in the years to come.

By: CR Chatterji.

53rd Indian Filmfare awards.

53rd Indian Filmfare awards.

The 53rd Indian filmfare awards had been declared. These days awards are also given after ascertaining the popular choice. Shahrukh Khan received the award for the best actor for his performance in the film Chak De. Kareena Kapoor won the award for the best actress. Amir Khan got the award for best director for the film Taren Zameen Par. The best supporting actor and actress award went to Irfan Khan and Konkona Sen Sharma, for their performance in the film Life in a Metro. AR Rehman won the best music director award for his composition of music for the film Guru. Shaan won the best male singer award while Shreya Ghoshal won the best female singer award.

At the same time there were critics choice awards where Tabu won the best actress award for her performance in the film Cheeni Kum. Rishi Kapoor won the lifetime achievement award, while his son Ranbir Kapoor won the best male debutant award. Deepika Padukone won the best female debutant award.

There are few indications from the 53rd filmfare awards, which show that the male actor category is still dominated by Sharukh Khan. He had won the best actor award 6 times before, and as such it significantly conveys the message that the other actors who had provided hits in 2007, still are not his competitors, for example Akshay Kumar’s films Bhool bhulaiya, Namaste London, which had done well in the Box Office, yet he did not pose any threat on Shahrukh. Kareena also is a known actress for sometime and the new actresses had failed to create any impression. AR Rehman had won the best composer award many times, and the new composers have shown their incompetence with creating new tunes which had not reached any level of excellence.

Another thing that is evident with these awards is that the viewers are still interested to see good stories, not cheap entertainment. That is the reason why the story of Taren Zameen Par had been liked so much. It is not necessary that every film should have useless songs including item numbers and B-grade comedy and unnecessary action. If good stories are portrayed with powerful direction and decent acting, viewers always will positively respond to them.

By: CR Chatterji.