Controversies cloud Karnataka state film awards

A bad script and one anticlimax after another marred the announcement of the state film award winners for 2008-09.
Radhika Pandit, the best actress award winner (Pic: ENS).
Radhika Pandit, the best actress award winner (Pic: ENS).

BANGALORE: Karnataka state government awards were announced yesterday. Selection committee chairman Bhargava changed the script on his own when he took an instant decision to overturn the panel’s choice for the Puttanna Kanagal Award.

“I wanted to recommend Girish Karnad for late Puttanna Kanagal Award but the committee members did not support my suggestion. The committee selected KSR Das considering his contribution to Kannada films. But I do not want to hurt the feelings of Kannada people. I am selecting Girish Karnad for this award,” said Bhargava.

The committee then selected ‘Psycho’ for the best sound engineer award. Only, the list doesn’t have the winner’s name. ‘Psycho’s re-recording was held in Chennai. “The producer of ‘Psycho’ did not provide details about the sound engineer,” explained Bhargava.

For the record, ‘Kabaddi’, directed by Narendra Babu, has been selected for the best film award. Yogesh has been selected best actor while Radhika Pandit has won the best actress award. ‘Josh’ (directed by Shivamani) has been adjudged second best film and ‘Shankara Punyakoti’ was chosen as the third best film.

B Saroja Devi, heroine of yesteryears, has been selected for the Dr Rajkumar Award for her contribution to the Kannada film industry. Ajanta Raju and RNK Prasad were selected for the Dr Vishnuvardhan Award in recognition of their lifetime achievement in the Kannada film industry.

Roopa Iyer’s ‘Mukhaputa’ has been selected for the best social impact film award. AK Shivaraj’s film ‘Chaitanya’ has been chosen as best children’s film.

The list of award-winners

■ M K Mata - best supporting actor (Tulu film ‘Gaggara’)

■ Lakshmi - best supporting actress (‘Vamshi’)

■ Ravindranath - best dubbing artiste (‘Antharanga’)

■ Asha - best dubbing artiste (‘Shankara Punyakoti’)

■ Baraguru Ramachandrappa - best writer (‘Ugragaami’)

■ Soori - best script writer (‘Janglee’)

■ Hu Pattana Shetty and Narendra Babu - best dialogue writers (‘Kabaddi’)

■ K M Vishnuvardhan - best cinematographer (‘Neenyaare’)

■ Abhiman - best music director (‘Tajmahal’)

■ Best sound engineer (‘Psycho’)

■ Deepu S Kumar - best editor (‘Junglee’)

■ Master Manoj - best child artiste (‘Nandadeepa’)

■ Saniya Iyer - best child actress (‘Vimukthi’)

■ K Raju - best art director (‘Neenyaare’)

■ K Kalyan - best lyricist (‘Ganga Kaaveri’)

■ Chethan - best playback singer (‘Yaare Nee Devathaya’)

■ Nandita - best playback singer (‘Mandakini’)

■ Stunt Master Ravi Varma - special award

■ Best regional language film award – ‘Ponnara Manasu’ (Kodava) and ‘Sona’ (Lambani).

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