The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen lashes out at Laapata Ladies for Filmfare Award win, calls it “A Tamasha in the name of cinema”

The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen lashes out at Laapata Ladies for Filmfare Award win, calls it “A Tamasha in the name of cinema”

Sudipto Sen, the director of The Kerala Story, has taken a sharp dig at the recently concluded Filmfare Awards 2025, questioning their credibility and calling out what he described as hypocrisy in the Indian film establishment. His comments came after Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies bagged Best Film along with 12 other awards at the Ahmedabad ceremony, while The Kerala Story—which had recently earned two National Awards—was ignored by Filmfare.

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Sen’s frustration was evident in a series of Instagram posts where he described the Filmfare results as “an expose of Indian nouvelle vague.” He wrote, “A blatantly plagiarised film, a tutorial of brutality, and a film which did not survive the box office for more than 72 hours took away most of the crowns. As expected, the best work of 2024 remains elusive.”

He went on to link his disappointment with the industry’s attitude toward his own film’s success at the National Awards. “Realised why Filmfare was so vocal against The Kerala Story receiving National Awards. I am happy this ‘wood’ community does not recognise, invite, or choose us,” he added, taking an open jab at Bollywood’s perceived elitism.

Sen didn’t hold back in the next part of his statement either. “We are spared from faking smiles, faking comradery, and most importantly, not indulging in any sycophancy. In the end, I am happy that we are saved from hobnobbing with this tamasha in the name of cinema in Mumbai and clicking selfies in Cannes. At least we are saved from these ugly hypocrisies and fake tapestry in the name of cinema,” he said.

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In another post, he criticized what he saw as the media’s obsession with glamour over genuine storytelling. “I never expect anything great from any Indian cinema establishment, particularly when it is media or cinema journalism. Mostly enamored by the glamour and rich world of the stars—exactly the way people from villages and small cities gather in front of Mr. Bachchan or SRK’s house,” Sen wrote.

Interestingly, his remarks follow The Kerala Story’s major national recognition last month, where the film won the National Award for Best Director and Best Cinematography. The film depicted the controversial story of women from Kerala who were allegedly forced to convert to Islam and join ISIS.