Why did Aishwarya Rai not win the Filmfare for Sarbjit?

IMO she was the most deserving of all the female nominees that year. It seemed Bollywood felt they had awarded her enough that they were not willing to award her again because that would mean confirming she is a genuine box office star who the masses will still turn up to watch.

Alia won for Udta Punjab

Yes, I am aware Alia won but I have always felt her performance in that movie was overrated. I thought even Sonam Kapoor, who I have never liked, did better in Neerja and was more deserving as the winner. But overall the award should have gone to Aishwarya. It seems this was one of many Filmfare awards that KJo bought for his star pupil.

Is this some type of joke ? I don’t think Aish was as bad in Sarabjit as she was made out to be. But filmfare?

Seriously? Dude people already question the meritocracy of those awards!

Just say you want Aish bashed. I will do the honors. 

On the contrary I am very serious. Ever since I watched that movie, I have been mystified by the lack of awards appreciation she received for it. Not only was she due the Filmfare, but also the National Film Award imo. I am not sure who won that year but they can't have been as deserving as her. 

Just like Shraddha didn't win for stuffed cotton performance in Haseena Parker or Katrina didn't for 'knorr soup' performance in Fitoor or Disha didn't for gymnastic performance in Malang.

Even Aish's most ardent haters must admit she is worlds better than those other actresses you just listed. Perhaps she is not a Vidya Balan but Vidya could never play many of the roles Aish has made so iconic.

Fanatics must stop polishing a turd.

These are general consensus on Aish's acting or the lack of it:

'Sarbjit' review: Randeep Hooda is lovely; Aishwarya and the film are not.

Sarbjit movie review: Randeep Hooda is the only thing worth watching in this Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer.

Aishwarya’s Sarbjit is extremely fictionalised, drum-beating, melodramatic saga that suffers from an overtly-worked-up lead actor. But in places she is shrill and the accent never sits right