Shah Rukh Khan recently clinched his first-ever National Film Award for Best Actor for his powerful performance in Jawan at the 71st National Film Awards, announced on August 1. He shared the honour with Vikrant Massey, who was recognised for his role in 12th Fail.
Veteran Malayalam actress Urvashi also received recognition, bagging the Best Supporting Actress award for Ullozhukku, which she shared with Janki Bodiwala for the Gujarati film Vash.
However, in a recent interview with Manorama News, Urvashi openly questioned the jury’s decision to award Shah Rukh Khan over seasoned Malayalam actor Vijayaraghavan, who won Best Supporting Actor for Pookkaalam, alongside MS Bhaskar (Parking).
“Vijayaraghavan is an amazing actor. What did the jury see in Shah Rukh Khan’s performance that made them give him Best Actor and classify Vijayaraghavan as just Supporting? On what basis? We are taxpayers too — we have the right to ask,” Urvashi said.
She emphasized Vijayaraghavan’s decades of experience and dedication to his role in Pookkaalam, a modest-budget film, contrasting it with the scale of mainstream blockbusters.
Urvashi also revealed that she was initially offered the female lead opposite Vijayaraghavan in Pookkaalam but declined due to the physical transformation and long hours of makeup the role required.
“Even if they offered me crores, I couldn’t do it. But he did it with dedication at his age and delivered a brilliant performance. That deserves at least a Special Mention,” she added.
Expressing concern over fairness, she stated, “What exactly is the criteria? All I’m asking for is transparency and respect for talent.”
Urvashi, born Kavitha Ranjini, is regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema with over 700 films across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. Often hailed as the “Meryl Streep of South Indian Cinema,” her candid comments have sparked fresh debate about transparency and equity in national award selections.
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