Bhopal filmmaker too boycotts national award

BHOPAL: Well-known documentary maker Rajendra Jangle, whose ‘Chanderinama’ received the Rajat Kamal for best promotional film of 2017, on Thursday boycotted the National Film Awards ceremony in Delhi, along with more than 55 other recipients.
“The invitation letter said President Ram Nath Kovind will hand over the awards. But a day before the function, during rehearsals, we found out that the President will only confer 11 awards while the rest will be given away by Union I&B minister Smriti Irani and MoS Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore,” Jangle told TOI.
“This is for the first time that we have been told the President will give away only 11 awards and leave. We were kept in the dark until the last minute. I have received four National Awards and was felicitated by the then President every time. This is an insult to the artists,” said Jangle.
Another winner from Bhopal, Sunil Mishra, who received the best writing award (special mention) from Smriti said, “The President is the first citizen. He might have had some important engagements. As artists, we must understand this.”