President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on Tuesday, said it was heartening to see women-centric good films being made and getting awarded too. She was addressing the gathering during the 71st National Film Awards being organised at Vigyan Bhawan here.
Congratulating the winners, she made special mention of Mohanlal, who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. She said Mohanlal has effortlessly portrayed the softest of the soft and the harshest of the harsh emotions, creating an image of the Complete Actor.
Speaking about the women-centric films being made, the President said that we all see that women struggle to some extent with poverty, patriarchy, or prejudice. She noted that the films awarded today include stories of mothers shaping the morals of their children, women uniting to confront social stereotypes, the plight of women amidst the complexities of home, family, and social order, and stories of courageous women who raise their voices against the inequalities of patriarchy. She appreciated such sensitive filmmakers.
The President said that the world’s largest film industry represents the world’s largest democracy and most diverse society through its most influential and popular art form. “Everyone associated with cinema has an Indian consciousness, an Indian sensibility that connects all local contexts. Just as Indian literature is created in many languages, Indian cinema is developing in many languages, dialects, regions, and local environments. Our films are both local and national,” she added.
Emphasizing that cinema is not just an industry; but powerful medium for raising awareness in society and the nation and making citizens more sensitive, Murmu said, “Popularity may be a good thing for a film, but being in the public interest, especially for the younger generation, is even better. All those associated with the film industry to make efforts to ensure that Indian films get greater acceptance, their popularity increases and they get recognition at the global level.”