Khushbu on Raayan: “Why Not an Odia Film?”

Khushbu Sundar questions the National Film Awards selection process and the recognition of deserving Odia films.

Actor and politician Khushbu Sundar has sparked a debate over the National Film Awards. Khushbu questioned why several deserving Odia films fail to receive recognition, even though she believes some are better than films that eventually win the prestigious honour.

When asked about Raayan’s recognition, Khushbu said “Like many others, I also have my doubts. What criteria are used to select films for the National Awards? Sometimes, I feel that an Odia film is better than some of the films that receive these awards. So, I wonder why an Odia film wasn’t recognized. That’s why I have these thoughts.”

While Khushbu did not directly criticize Raayan, her comments have sparked fresh discussion on how National Award winners are chosen and whether films from all regional industries receive equal consideration.

The National Film Awards have often generated discussions over the years regarding the selection criteria and the recognition of films from different Indian languages. Khushbu’s latest comments have once again brought that conversation into the spotlight.