Despite winning Best Supporting Actress for Ullozhukku at the 71st National Film Awards, veteran Malayalam actress Urvashi is far from satisfied. The 56‑year‑old has criticised the jury, led by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, for placing her in the supporting category despite her being one of the two main leads in Ullozhukku, a hard-hitting drama written and directed by Christo Tomy. The other lead was Parvathy Thiruvothu. Urvashi shared the award with Janki Bodiwala for her role in the Gujarati supernatural thriller Vash. 71st National Film Awards Winners: Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey and Rani Mukerji Win Best Actor Honours, Sanya Malhotra’s ‘Kathal’ Wins Best Hindi Film – Full List Inside!

Speaking to Asianet News, Urvashi said she was pleased that her performance in Ullozhukku had been recognised and resonated with audiences. However, she questioned the decision‑making process that led to her being classified as a supporting actress, hinting that her age may have influenced the categorisation.

"Is there any standard scale for acting? Or is it that after a certain age, this is all you’ll get?” she asked. Urvashi stressed that if she didn’t raise these questions now, future actors might face the same problem.

She also referred to Vijayaraghavan’s Best Supporting Actor win for Pookkaalam, questioning how the jury differentiated between his performance (he was the main lead in the Malayalam film) and Shah Rukh Khan’s leading role to determine category placement. While praising Vijayaraghavan’s dedication - including enduring hours of makeup to convincingly portray a nonagenarian - she emphasised the need for the jury to clearly explain its reasoning for such decisions. Ullozhukku Movie Review: Urvashi and Parvathy Thiruvothu Are Stellar in This Sensitively-Handled Tearjerker.

Urvashi further criticised the complete omission of Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) from the awards, expressing hope that actor and BJP MP Suresh Gopi would raise these concerns with the government.

Watch Urvashi's Interview in Asianet News:

This marks Urvashi’s second National Award win - her first was also in the Supporting Actress category for Achuvinte Amma in 2006, where she again played one of the two main leads alongside Meera Jasmine. This repetition reinforces her suspicion that age may play a role in how juries categorise performances.

Other Controversies at 71st National Film Awards

As with many recent editions, the 71st National Film Awards were mired in controversy. The selection of the propaganda‑labelled The Kerala Story for Best Direction (Sudipto Sen) and Best Cinematography drew sharp criticism. The jury’s dismissal of Blessy’s Aadujeevitham and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s much‑praised performance - citing a lack of 'authenticity' - also angered Malayali audiences. Fact Check: Was Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Aadujeevitham’ Ineligible for the 71st National Film Awards? Here’s the Truth About Its Censor Eligibility!

Other contentious decisions included Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji’s wins for Best Actor and Best Actress respectively, Bhagwant Kesari being named Best Telugu Film, and Telugu film Baby sharing the Best Screenplay award with Parking.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 04, 2025 03:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).