After Akshay Kumar announced on Twitter that he was holding a Canadian passport, questions are now being raised about whether he was eligible to get a National Film Award for his film Rustom in April 2017.
Apruva Asrani editor and writer of films like Aligarh and editor of films like Satya raised a query on Twitter on the eligibility of Kumar for the award. “Yes, this is a very important question. Are Canadian citizens eligible for India’s National Awards? In 2016 Akshay Kumar won ‘Best Actor’, we were expecting Manoj Bajpayee to win for Aligarh. If the jury/ministry has made an error in Kumar’s case, will there be a revote??” he tweeted leading to a debate.
Asrani also pointed out in the cast of 36 Chowringhee Lane Vs Umrao Jaan when Jennifer Kendall, a British citizen married to Shashi Kapoor was not given the award and Rekha got it.
“There was a controversy of sorts when Jennifer Kendell was not given the National Award for 36 Chowringhee Lane owing to her British roots. It went to Rekha, who also alluded to this fact,” he mentioned.
