Ever since ANR National Award 2017 has been announced for Rajamouli, there is some mixed response in a section of media, film fraternity. No doubt, Rajamouli deserves by all measures with his magnum opus Baahubali. However, the only complaint is that it is too early for Rajamouli.
While the legends who received the award so far include are all veteran with remarkably long career – Amitabh Bachchan (2014), Sridevi (2013), Shyam Benegal (2012), Hema Malini (2012), K. Balachander (2010), Vyjayanthimala (2009), Lata Mangeshkar (2009), Anjali Devi (2008), Shabana Azmi (2007), Dev Anand (2006), only Rajamouli is the youngest of all of them to bag this prestigious award.
K Viswanath, Dasari Narayana Rao and many others were not yet named for the award. While Dasari is no more, he could have been named posthumously, however it is excusable. But, Dadasaheb Pahlke awardee K. Viswanath not being named for ANR National Award has surprised many. Also the fact that ANR National Award has not been announced for 2015, 2016 has left many shocked. Many thought that the award committee would announce the awards for all three years 2015, 2016 and 2017 today, but to many’s dismay, only the award has been named for 2017. And as we said earlier, it is announced for Rajamouli.
Rumour mongers speculating that this could be an attempt to woo Rajamouli towards Akkineni compound. Rajamouli had in the past directed Nagarjuna in the action scenes of Rajanna. And he is yet to direct Chaitu, Akhil. Probably, rumour mongers are right. Or they could even be wrong. May be or may be not! Tch, tch!