National Film Awards 2018: Resul Pookutty expresses dissent over President Ram Nath Kovind's 'one hour appearance'

The 65th National Film Awards have been mired in a controversy as over 60 National Award recipients decided to give the awards ceremony a miss, after getting to know that the President Ram Nath Kovind will only be present at the do for one hour and felicitate select 11 winners out of a total of 137 awardees. Reacting on the same, noted sound artist Resul Pookutty, who's also won an Oscar previously expressed his dissent over President Kovind's one hour appearance at the prestigious award function. 

Pookutty took to his Twitter account and shared, "If the government of India cannot earmark three hours of its time, they should not bother giving us National Awards. More than 50 per cent of our sweat, you take it as entertainment tax, the least you could do is respect the values we hold dear."

The 137 awardees were not informed about President Kovind's one hour appearance at the ceremony in advance. In fact, they were told about the same on Wednesday that a majority of them will be felicitated by the Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani and only 11 winners will be felicitated by the President. 

The artistes from across the country have written a letter addressed to the Directorate of Film Festival, Office of the President of India and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to express their disappointment.They said they were "disheartened" on being informed at the last minute that the president will present only 11 awards."It feels like a breach of trust when an institution/ceremony that abides by extreme protocol fails to inform us of such a vital aspect of the ceremony with a prior notice. It seems unfortunate that 65 years of tradition are being overturned in a jiffy," the letter read. 

If the Govt.Of India cannot earmark three houres if it’s time, they should not bother us giving us #NationalAward. More than 50%of our sweat you take it as entertainment tax,the least you could do is respect the values we hold dear!

— resul pookutty (@resulp) May 3, 2018

10 minutes before the ceremony began, there were hardly any awardees present at the venue. Meanwhile, the 65th National Film Award ceremony has begun at the Vigyan Bahwan in New Delhi. In the absence of President Kovind, I&B Minister Smriti Irani has taken charge of the proceedings.