Days after the magical evening has ended, the hangover persists. We recapture the precious moments in our minds, reflect upon our admirable and embarrassing moments back stage and make a mental note to rectify them in the following year. Year after year, we go through these churning highs and lows of encountering triumph and defeat on the same platform and, extraordinary as it seems, we endure. Perhaps that’s the power of showbiz. Our hearts alternately saluting the winners and grieving for the losers, we understand what they are going through. To give them credit they conduct themselves with utmost dignity. The winners with modesty. The losers with magnanimity. The restraint is part of their persona and, after all these years, a part of our grooming. The unsteady equation is part of the showbiz culture, part of hosting and presenting an awards show.The heart-breaking journey began seven years ago when Screen decided to institute a Film and Television Awards in 1991. A creative meeting involving the stalwarts of the film fraternity was conducted and they were invited to contribute suggestions for a fool proof system. On the basis of these suggestions, an advisory board was appointed. One point everyone unanimously agreed upon was that there should be jury awards, and the jury should be restricted to within the film industry. The argument offered was that only the film fraternity understood the parameters of cinema. Over the years certain ground rules were clearly defined. Dubbed films were disqualified and filmmakers with releases during the calendar year were exempted from being on the jury. The front runners had no dates to spare, in this case 25 days at a stretch to watch two screenings a day. Contemporaries weren’t willing to confront their rivals. Consequently only revered technicians and artistes, not exactly active, found themselves belling thecat. Time and again sincere efforts are made to appoint a jury that is a right mix of the old and the young generation, with adequate representation from the mainstream and the parallel cinema. But time and again, there is more criticism and less solutions from those who can be instrumental in bringing about change. Those excluded in the nominations complain that the process of selection is unfair. Those excluded in the final list complain that the jury is biased. Probably it is not possible to be completely objective about a subject as passionate as cinema. Perceptions vary according to interests, so while one jury prefers action, another emphasises on comedy and drama, the bottomline being that eventually, every jury reflects the ideology of the chairperson. Not surprising that the results appear at times annoyingly traditional, on other occasions alarmingly adventurous. At the end of the three-and-a-half week screenings, the 11 member jury meets for a five-hour session to select nominations in everycategory. And later again on the evening prior to the awards show to choose the winners. It is a moment of high drama and utmost secrecy is maintained about the results. The chairperson aided by the co-members, writes the winners on a sheet of paper and seals the envelope. Screen is not included in the information flow, not included in the discussions prior or subsequent to the nominations or the final listing. Infact not allowed anywhere close to the venue of discussion, usually a hotel room. The envelopes are opened for the first time on the awards night. Yet, mysterious as it seems, the names are leaked out. And that’s not the only controversy. Weeks after the awards are declared, postmortems on the authenticity and politics behind the awards show continues. And yet again, mysterious as it seems, year after year, the show goes on. Thought of the week:The night belonged to the Roshans. They won in all seven trophies (five within the family and three within the unit). The night belonged to Shah Rukh Khan as well. Amidst thunderous applause the young superstar made a magnanimous speech when presenting the most promising newcomer award to Hrithik Roshan. It was a magnificent speech., witty, wholesome and straight from the heart. At the end of it everyone was overwhelmed, particularly the Roshans.
