Malayalam filmmaker Sibi Malayil has made a startling revelation about the 2009 National Film Award. The director revealed that he was asked to give the Best Actor Award to Shah Rukh Khan rather than to Mohanlal to make the event a grand ceremony. Mohanlal was selected for ‘Paradesi.’
Speaking at the PT-Kalayum Kaalavum cultural festival, Sibi Malayil revealed that the Chairman asked him to give the Best Actor Award to Shah Rukh Khan to make the award ceremony a grand affair. He mentioned that as a part of the jury, the Chairman had asked him to change his decision. He added that Mohanlal deserved the award for ‘Paradesi.’ He said, “At that time, the chairman asked why Shah Rukh Khan should not be given the best actor award instead of Mohanlal, and then the award ceremony would become a grand affair.”
He added, “Cinematographer Sunny Joseph and I were the Malayalees on the jury. We wanted Paradesi to get an award at least for director, costume, lyricist and singer, and strongly advocated for it.”
He also mentioned that Singer Sujatha was also nominated in the Best Singer category for ‘Thattam Pidichu.’ However, she was pushed aside. He added that a filmmaker from North India made changes at the last moment.
‘Paradesi’ won the National Award only in the category of Best Make-up. Directed by P.T. Kunju Muhammed, the movie starred Mohanlal, Swetha Menon, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, and Padmapriya Janakiraman in lead roles. The movie revolved around an Indian Muslim man who moved from Kerala to Karachi looking for a job. The film ended up winning multiple awards at the Kerala State Film Awards.
