Amol Palekar in a still from a TV show. (Image courtesy: @LifeOKTV)
New Delhi:
A day after being accused of being 'manipulative' and 'obnoxious' by Oscar jury member Rahul Rawail, jury head Amol Palekar told NDTV that this is the first time in his 45-year career that he's been described in such terms. (Also Read: Rahul Rawail Resigns From Oscar Jury, Calls Amol Palekar 'Manipulative')
Mr Palekar, 70, said via phone, "All of us including him (Rahul Rawail) have signed an undertaking with the Film Federation of India (FFI). We are sworn to be secretive and I will not breach it till I get permission to open my mouth. Regarding his allegations, on a personal level I choose not to respond to his allegations. In my career of 45 years, such adjectives were never attached to my name and now if they are being attached, I think the whole process is complete that's all. Whatever he wants to say is his prerogative, I will not surrender my grace and dignity if someone else chooses to."(Also Read: Amol Palekar and Jury Pick Court as India's Oscar Entry)
On Wednesday, the 17-member jury that Mr Palekar presided over picked National Award-winning Marathi film Court as India's Oscar entry. Shortly afterwards, Mr Rawail tweeted that he had quit the jury and blamed Mr Palekar:
He also told news agency IANS, "I'm proud that we had a great jury and some wonderful people who have a great knowledge of cinema and love for it. There was no issue in that, but yes there was one manipulative man. His name is Amol Palekar, who is the chairman of the jury. He is a complete manipulative person."
He explained that he was not accusing Mr Palekar, who is Marathi, of favouring Court. "It is not that he manipulated for Court. People are saying that Amol must have manipulated for Court because Court is a Marathi film. That is wrong," Mr Rawail said and added that Amol's "general conduction of proceedings was often manipulative," he said.
Mr Rawail, director of films like Jo Bole So Nihaal, also said that there was no controversy over the film that was chosen. "I've been hearing that people feel that I was not happy with Court being selected. It is false. I am very happy with Court and I'm proud of it," he told IANS.
Mr Palekar, whose own film Paheli was sent to the Oscars previously, said that he hoped Court would do well. "Thank you for congratulating me on this selection and hope our choice makes a dent and cracks the glass ceiling so at the Oscars," he told NDTV. On being asked if this was the first time that there has been no controversy on the choice of film, Mr Palekar responded, The Film Federation of India (FFI), which selects the country's official entry in the Best Foreign Film category of the Oscars, to be held in Los Angeles on February 28 next year, appointed Amol Palekar as the chairman earlier this year. No Indian film has made it to the final five since Aamir Khan's 2001 movie Lagaan.
Mr Palekar, 70, said via phone, "All of us including him (Rahul Rawail) have signed an undertaking with the Film Federation of India (FFI). We are sworn to be secretive and I will not breach it till I get permission to open my mouth. Regarding his allegations, on a personal level I choose not to respond to his allegations. In my career of 45 years, such adjectives were never attached to my name and now if they are being attached, I think the whole process is complete that's all. Whatever he wants to say is his prerogative, I will not surrender my grace and dignity if someone else chooses to."(Also Read: Amol Palekar and Jury Pick Court as India's Oscar Entry)
On Wednesday, the 17-member jury that Mr Palekar presided over picked National Award-winning Marathi film Court as India's Oscar entry. Shortly afterwards, Mr Rawail tweeted that he had quit the jury and blamed Mr Palekar:
Jst wanna clarify tht am proud of Court n fully support its selection I resigned from th Oscar jury bcoz of Mr Palekars obnoxious behaviour
— rahul rawail (@RahulRawail) September 23, 2015He also told news agency IANS, "I'm proud that we had a great jury and some wonderful people who have a great knowledge of cinema and love for it. There was no issue in that, but yes there was one manipulative man. His name is Amol Palekar, who is the chairman of the jury. He is a complete manipulative person."
He explained that he was not accusing Mr Palekar, who is Marathi, of favouring Court. "It is not that he manipulated for Court. People are saying that Amol must have manipulated for Court because Court is a Marathi film. That is wrong," Mr Rawail said and added that Amol's "general conduction of proceedings was often manipulative," he said.
Mr Rawail, director of films like Jo Bole So Nihaal, also said that there was no controversy over the film that was chosen. "I've been hearing that people feel that I was not happy with Court being selected. It is false. I am very happy with Court and I'm proud of it," he told IANS.
Mr Palekar, whose own film Paheli was sent to the Oscars previously, said that he hoped Court would do well. "Thank you for congratulating me on this selection and hope our choice makes a dent and cracks the glass ceiling so at the Oscars," he told NDTV. On being asked if this was the first time that there has been no controversy on the choice of film, Mr Palekar responded, The Film Federation of India (FFI), which selects the country's official entry in the Best Foreign Film category of the Oscars, to be held in Los Angeles on February 28 next year, appointed Amol Palekar as the chairman earlier this year. No Indian film has made it to the final five since Aamir Khan's 2001 movie Lagaan.
