‘The Kerala Story’ Director Sudipto Sen Disappointed by Awards Outcome, Misses Adah Sharma’s Recognition
MUMBAI, Maharashtra – August 3, 2025: Following the 71st National Film Awards, Sudipto Sen, the director behind the controversial yet commercially successful film ‘The Kerala Story,’ has shared his feelings about the awards. Even though he won Best Director, he’s expressed disappointment that the film didn’t receive more top honors. He’s particularly saddened that Adah Sharma, the lead actress, didn’t win Best Actress, believing her performance deserved the award.
A Mix of Wins and Misses for the Film
At the awards, ‘The Kerala Story’ received two notable recognitions. Sudipto Sen was awarded Best Director, recognizing his direction of the talked-about film. In addition, Prasantanu Mohapatra won Best Cinematography, praised by jury head Ashutosh Gowariker for its stark and realistic visuals.
These wins have been a point of contention. Supporters have celebrated the accolades, while critics have voiced strong disapproval. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan even directly criticized the jury, saying they were legitimizing a narrative based on divisive ideology.
The Director’s View on Awards
In a recent interview, Sudipto Sen said he was happy to win Best Director but felt the film merited more recognition. He mentioned that he would have been even happier if the film had also won the main award, referring to the Best Feature Film category, which went to Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ’12th Fail.’
Sen was especially vocal about Adah Sharma’s performance. He shared that he was sad that she didn’t win Best Actress, describing her performance as bold and gut-wrenching, portraying a life-changing experience that deserved the highest recognition. Ultimately, Rani Mukerji won Best Actress for her performance in ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway.’
Adah Sharma’s Performance: Praised and Debated
Adah Sharma’s portrayal of Shalini Unnikrishnan, a nursing student manipulated into joining ISIS, was crucial to the film’s success and the debates surrounding it. Many viewers and fans have applauded her performance, even calling for her to receive a National Award since the film’s initial release.
Her supporters praised her for bringing emotional depth and realism to a difficult role. Others argued that her performance, along with the film’s story, was part of a broader political agenda. Still, her work on the film has been called a defining moment in her career.
Looking at the National Awards
The 71st National Film Awards celebrated a broad spectrum of films and talent from across India. Shah Rukh Khan for ‘Jawan’ and Vikrant Massey for ‘12th Fail’ both won Best Actor. The Best Feature Film award going to ’12th Fail’ and the Best Actress award to Rani Mukerji for ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway’ displayed importance on both popular and critically acclaimed movies.
The National Awards’ jury, led by Ashutosh Gowariker, has faced examination for its choices, and Sudipto Sen’s comments have contributed to the ongoing conversation. These awards, intended to celebrate the best of Indian cinema, have once again become a subject of political and ideological discussion.
A Successful but Controversial Film
‘The Kerala Story’ became a major box office hit last year, earning over ₹300 crore on a relatively small budget. The film’s story, about the alleged recruitment of young women from Kerala into ISIS, caused widespread disagreement. Some states banned it, while others made it tax-free.
The debate about the film, which was promoted as a set of true stories, continued well after its release. Though the filmmakers had to make changes to a claim about the specific number of women involved, the film’s core theme of conversion and radicalization struck a chord with a portion of the audience, supporting its success in the eyes of its director.
