Technicians Make a Film, Give Them the Mic: Zoya on Award Shows

In an interview with Rajeev Masand, directors talk about technicians not being treated well in award functions.

Time and again there has been discussion on the credibility of award shows in India. But the debate around that went a step further when Rajeev Masand invited some directors from the film industry. Zoya Akhtar, Nitesh Tiwari, Anubhav Sinha, Siddharth Anand, Aditya Dhar, Sujoy Ghosh, and Amar Kaushik spoke about cinematographers, sound technicians, editors and production assistants not being given their due at award functions.

Bollywood awards have little credibility anyway. They also dont have much respect for the technicians who make the films they claim to celebrate. At #TheDirectorsRoundtable2019 the filmmakers expose the shoddy treatment of technicians at the Star Screen Awards this year pic.twitter.com/rBqxuZBaj6

— Rajeev Masand (@RajeevMasand) December 27, 2019

Director Zoya Akhtar said that she found it “absolutely obnoxious” that while those involved in the production of a film are invited to these events, they are rarely allowed the opportunity to take the stage along with actors. She said that if an award show wasn’t willing to acknowledge their contribution properly, the producers might as well not invite them to the ceremony at all.

“And firstly, I don’t understand this technicians. What is that supposed to mean? You’re talking about screenwriters, cinematographers, editors, production designers, costume designers...they make a film. They make your movie. It’s not replaceable. They are not given the mic. You are honouring the film industry and these people make the film.”

Zoya Akhtar, Director

Adding to that Siddharth Anand said that he was shocked to see that people from his team were not handed the mic and they felt so out of place.

“What are they supposed to do? Just take the award and walk off?”

Siddharth Anand, Director

Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari also concurred.

“There is a whole obsession to come up with weird titles to get recognised faces on stage and then you are not giving time to the people who actually make your film.”

Nitesh Tiwari, Director

Anubhav Sinha tried to play Devil’s advocated and suggested that perhaps the producers were catering to their audience who is more interested in watching a celebrity on stage. Zoya disagreed saying that real film lovers would want to know the folks behind the movie as well. “This is the way you learn about different departments of the film industry,” she said.