AWARDS Worth and Value

Awards

Are they over-rated?

I think they are misused and manipulated.

1. The public at large hardly understands them and has no clue about the choices and rules, also for sure the public has no say in the results. Reason why; many obscure productions and undeserving people, who on the surface did nothing meritorious or above average, get awards.

2. Then you have the choosing body or judges who are usually highly subject to personal likes, politics and personal benefit$. THEY get to pick and they do so based on agendas of personal benefit.

3. Then there is a sector of celebrities and minions who, pursue, campaign, (rumor has it), they pay, strongarm and even have sexual liaisons in order to allocate the awards. Don't mind me...its Rumors.. The public never sees all that, since that is behind the scenes work, not saying is not hard work to do all that manipulation, that also is an industry.

4. Then you have a few celebrities who cling to the object as if it was a life saving rescue apparatus, they parade them, gloat about them, have their minions mention them at every opportunity even if the said award was acquired many moons ago, and the memory of When, Why and How is fuzzy in the publics mind. USUALLY that is the best clue the public should have on what went on behind the scenes and why the particular celebrity values the award so much...they Probably had to shell out $$ or lay supine for it, so it is an investment they are proudly showing you.

NOW WITH ALL THAT SAID; I do understand the desire to get awards and to give them. It is natural to want to be rewarded for good work and to actually give someone a reward in gratitude of good work. I keep hoping every year, the correct choices are made. Sometimes I even happily agree.

The awards are, a SYMBOL of something well done, a sign of appreciation, for the work that you DID, and while they do offer a good resume of your work, past accomplishment and also distinction that translates into opportunities they do not guarantee what you will do in the future.

In my opinion the best award an artist can get is the PAYING public reaction, the support of admiring fans means reliability and good numbers at the BOX Office. That and nothing more is the bottom line and it should be what investors, producers, directors and everyone else in the film industry that is doing it with their money and as a business, should have as their top priority. (If you are washing money or spending the tax payers money, then you do not care-see number 3).

There are gems and a lot of junk in every film market. India is no exception. Some of the gems unfortunately do not get the merit they deserve and that is a detriment to the producing country and the public in general. India is incredibly good at doing self-harm, causing a lot of the issues that prevent the industry from flourishing world-wide and you can blame foreigners and foreign film industries all you want, the reality is that the absolute worst enemies the Hindi film industry has, are home grown. The mutilation and self harm is rampant and riddled with corruption, bias, prejudice and yes the all too well known, favoritism.

Films like Tare Zameen Par, The Lunch Box, Guzaarish, Bioscopewala just to mention a quick few, there is a long list of others that are true gems, that go un-noticed and more importantly a long list of extremely good actors, directors, writers, set designers, choreographers etc... who go un-rewarded for performances and work, that are way beyond the average: a travesty.

The one good out of it is that fans, cinephiles and movie buffs appreciate the work without the need for a body of paid critics or judges to tell them or certify the film is good, they are discerning and have the intelligence to make their own choices. While respecting the opinions of others.

I give my very own awards and I put my money where my mouth is, I support those movies I think are great.

p.s. I am prepared to give examples or argue in favor of any opinion I give, after all they are my very own.