Award shows never come without snubs and surprises. They are, as we all know, not the ultimate barometer of talent. We’ve known this for decades. However,
where diversity has been embraced to a degree, major blunders have also been made. Performances that do not even deserve to be acknowledged have been
rewarded and those who deserved to be acknowledged, in the form of a nomination, have been blatantly snubbed. It makes you wonder if award ceremonies
hold anything sacred, including the precious hours that we spend watching them.

Greta Gerwig snubbed by Oscars in Director’s category

The Academy Awards are so busy celebrating just how diverse they’ve become that they forgot – somehow – that not nominating Greta Gerwig for directing Barbie is simply unacceptable and goes to show just how women are not acknowledged where they ought to be. To execute a film like Barbie and turn it into a cerebral and popular film as a director was a sight to see. But where the Academy Awards were all for Oppenheimer, a film directed by a man, they didn’t think just how rare this opportunity is. Studios don’t only want box office success. They want to succeed at the box office and get rewarded at film’s biggest and most recognized ceremony in the world. The lack of nomination will have far-reaching consequences. Will another film like Barbie get a female director if you’re thinking as a studio head? And let us not forget the lesson we learned from the film: women can do anything. It wasn’t about a doll. It was about taking the gender forward and Gerwig did just that. This may be the year of Oppenheimer, but the one diverse nominee in a major section of the awards doesn’t wash away the crime of not considering Greta Gerwig as a director.

Ranbir Kapoor’s Filmfare victory for Animal

Mr. Ranbir Kapoor has shown his mettle as an actor in several films including Raajneeti, Rockstar, Tamasha, Barfi and several other entertaining, cerebral and thought-provoking films. He has also won several Filmfare awards for his work. You may like these films or dislike them but you can’t discount his acting or the film’s narrative, in each film. But in 2024, being given the best actor trophy for his worst film to date is a quandary. What compelled people to nominate him? By this logic, Shah Rukh Khan’s nomination for Dunki should’ve been rewarded but with a victory like this, the message is simple: do the worst and most violent, toxic film possible and you will be rewarded because of (a) nepotism and (b) name recognition. Filmfare or any award ceremony can not dump this on the audience but rethink how popular nominees make the cut, in the age of streaming and excessively toxic films. A film that makes you question humanity, reality and civilization shouldn’t be acknowledged.

Alia Bhatt’s victory over Shefali Shah

Since making her debut with Student of the Year, Alia Bhatt has shown that like her older sister Pooja Bhatt, she has the grit to give iconic performances. But where her older sister was robbed of awards, Alia Bhatt has not only been acknowledged but has won awards. However, if you compare the performance of one Alia Bhatt against one Shefali Shah, there is absolutely no way that Bhatt was the superior performer. And yet, name recognition and nepotism ruled the day. Even more saddening is how Shefali Shah, who won Best Actress in Critics Choice shared the trophy with Rani Mukherjee. One is left to wonder what is Filmfare jury and producers smoking and can we have some of it since we’re neighbours. As they say, adapt or die. But clearly that saying is lost on Filmfare, India’s version of the Oscars and its producers, voters and critics. A superior performance is given a token trophy.

Margot Robbie’s exclusion from the Oscars

Once more, Academy Awards have shown that they care much more about the victory of male cast and crew. For example, Margot Robbie, who deserved to be nominated for Barbie was not. If you look at the Academy Awards, what can really be said is like Filmfare, they take one step forward and five steps back. Margot Robbie, we applaud you even if the Academy, made up of your peers, older and younger, do not.