Oscar Winner Resul Pookutty

The announcement that President Ram Nath Kovind would hand out the National Film Awards to only 11 of this year's 137 winners during the "one hour" earmarked for the ceremony not only prompted over 50 artistes to boycott the event, but also set off a firestorm of criticism.

Oscar winner Resul Pookutty, reknowned filmmakers Saeed Mirza and Kiran Rao, actors Rajat Kapoor and Piyush Mishra have all joined the growing ranks of those protesting against little-known actor Gajendra Chauhan being appointed to head the country's top film institute, but the man at the centre of the storm remains unruffled.

Sound technician Resul Pookutty was fascinated with physics as a child and dreamt of winning a Nobel Prize but ended up bagging an Oscar.

The announcement that President Ram Nath Kovind would hand out the National Film Awards to only 11 of this year's 137 winners during the "one hour" earmarked for the ceremony not only prompted over 50 artistes to boycott the event, but also set off a firestorm of criticism.

Oscar winner Resul Pookutty, reknowned filmmakers Saeed Mirza and Kiran Rao, actors Rajat Kapoor and Piyush Mishra have all joined the growing ranks of those protesting against little-known actor Gajendra Chauhan being appointed to head the country's top film institute, but the man at the centre of the storm remains unruffled.

Sound technician Resul Pookutty was fascinated with physics as a child and dreamt of winning a Nobel Prize but ended up bagging an Oscar.