There has been a social media gripe going on about the actresses who shared the national award for their performances this year — Nithya Menen for Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil) and Manasi Parekh for Kutch Express (Gujarati). The posts say that Sai Pallavi was more deserving of the award for her role in Gargi as a woman who fights to defend her father who is accused of rape. Nithya Menen asked a valid question — why can’t a lighthearted role be worthy of an award? It just so happens that in the past most of the winners of the national award have been serious actresses doing dramatic parts and a majority of them falling within the ambit of victim-turned heroine plots.
Manasi Parekh’s role follows that graph to some extent, in a film that does manage to veer away from stereotypical portrayals of women. For instance, last year, the award was shared by Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon for Mimi — both films about women who rise above the dire circumstances in which they find themselves. A look at the list of part winners would indicate this trend, with perhaps a few exceptions.
Awards juries have been particularly partial to roles of courageous mothers. In Thiruchitrambalam (directed by Mithran R Jawahar), Shobana is the platonic friend of the eponymous protagonist (played by Dhanush). They have grown up together and so have a strong bond, though not a romantic one.
They are each other’s confidants and there is a lot of teasing banter, without any undercur.