Vidya Balan at the opening ceremony of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival on October 29
Mumbai:
Bollywood actress Vidya Balan on Thursday said she would not give back her National Award as it was an honour bestowed on her by the country and not the government. (Also Read: Filmmakers Returning National Awards is 'Disrespectful,' Say Film Colleagues)
The comment come in the backdrop of some eminent film personalities returning their National Awards in solidarity with FTII students and against what they called growing intolerance in the country.
"This honour (the award) is by the nation and not the government. So I do not want to return it," Vidya said at the India Today Conclave.
The actress had won the National Award for the best actress for her performance in The Dirty Picture in 2012.
Filmmakers Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan were among the 10 film personalities who have returned their National Awards in solidarity with FTII students and against growing intolerance in the country.
Dibakar Banerjee and other filmmakers said their decision to return the awards was taken in view of the 'apathy displayed by the government' in addressing the issues raised by the FTII students and the 'general environment of intolerance' against debate.
On Wednesday, the FTII students ended their 139-day-old strike against the appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the prestigious institute, but said they would continue to seek his removal.
Meanwhile, Vidya also said she was not interested in joining politics and would 'fail miserably' at it.
She also said that working towards social causes should be an individual decision and no one should be compelled to work for a particular cause.
The 37-year-old actress will be next seen in the Marathi film Ek Albela, a biopic on actor-director Bhagwan Dada. She will play actress Geeta Bali in the film.
The film is scheduled for release in January next year.
The comment come in the backdrop of some eminent film personalities returning their National Awards in solidarity with FTII students and against what they called growing intolerance in the country.
"This honour (the award) is by the nation and not the government. So I do not want to return it," Vidya said at the India Today Conclave.
The actress had won the National Award for the best actress for her performance in The Dirty Picture in 2012.
Filmmakers Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan were among the 10 film personalities who have returned their National Awards in solidarity with FTII students and against growing intolerance in the country.
Dibakar Banerjee and other filmmakers said their decision to return the awards was taken in view of the 'apathy displayed by the government' in addressing the issues raised by the FTII students and the 'general environment of intolerance' against debate.
On Wednesday, the FTII students ended their 139-day-old strike against the appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the prestigious institute, but said they would continue to seek his removal.
Meanwhile, Vidya also said she was not interested in joining politics and would 'fail miserably' at it.
She also said that working towards social causes should be an individual decision and no one should be compelled to work for a particular cause.
The 37-year-old actress will be next seen in the Marathi film Ek Albela, a biopic on actor-director Bhagwan Dada. She will play actress Geeta Bali in the film.
The film is scheduled for release in January next year.
