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'Unethical, anti-cinema': Bollywood filmmaker refuses to be part of Filmfare Awards despite 7 nominations

The director warns about competition from the parallel Hindi film industry

Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri on Thursday announced that he will not accept any award from Filmfare, even after his movie, The Kashmir Files, was nominated in seven different categories.

Agnihotri took to Twitter to pen down his thoughts on why he did not want to be a part of one of Bollywood's most coveted award shows – Filmfare Awards.

Vivek wrote: “I learnt from media that The Kashmir Files 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.”

“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 and crew members of a film inferior to and/or as slaves to stars,” he further added.

He then went on to laud those who would or would not be honoured. “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...,” he wrote in his lengthy post.

The Kashmir Files was nominated for Best Director, Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actors, and was also one the highest-grossing films.

In the past, several other stars have also slammed the Awards, including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Kangana Ranaut, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Aamir Khan.