Filmmaker Rohit Shetty has candidly spoken about his long-standing disconnect with film awards, despite delivering several box-office superhits over his career.
The director recently attended the launch event of the Indian National Cine Academy (INCA), where he quipped in his trademark humour, “Mere aur awards ka door-door tak koi rishta-naata nahi hai. 17 filmein ho gayi hai, sirf hosting ke liye jaata hoon” (There is absolutely no connection between me and awards. I have done 17 films and only been invited there for hosting).
Actor Manoj Tiwari, who was also present at the event, shared his own experience with awards and recognition. He recalled, “I worked in a Bhojpuri film in 2004. It was made in Rs. 30 lakhs and went on to do business worth Rs. 54 crores. Yet, neither the director nor the writer received any award (laughs). Even the actor didn’t win any award. Hence, I’d like to thank Vishnu.”
Manoj further highlighted the importance of inclusive platforms in Indian cinema, saying that INCA has helped bridge regional divides. He noted that audiences in Bihar and Bhojpuri-speaking regions now have better visibility into cinema across languages, thanks to the initiative led by Vishnu Vardhan Induri.
For the uninitiated, Indian National Cine Academy (INCA) aims to promote collaboration, transparency, and credible recognition across Indian cinema, cutting across languages, regions, and crafts.
The announcement of INCA was made in the presence of prominent filmmakers, producers, artists, and cultural voices from across the country, including Rohit Shetty, Anand L Rai, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Dil Raju, Manoj Tiwari, Navraj Hans, Manmohan Shetty, Khushbu Sundar, Lakshmi Manchu, Ankur Garg, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, and Shibasish Sarkar, among others. The Producers Guild of India has come on board as the Chief Patron of the initiative.
Speaking at the announcement, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Founder of INCA, said, “INCA is being built with intent, integrity, and purpose. Our goal is to create a permanent national institution that enables collaboration across industries, celebrates excellence fairly, and builds a universal talent database for Indian cinema.”
Commenting on the association, Shibasish Sarkar, President of the Producers Guild of India, said, “INCA represents an important step towards institutionalising collaboration, credibility, and transparent processes in building a unified awards platform that celebrates all Indian languages equally and credibly.”
The first edition of the INCA Awards is scheduled to be held on March 9 in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone for the newly launched national institution.
Beyond awards, INCA is envisioned as a comprehensive national ecosystem for Indian cinema, comprising an annual cinema conclave, a transparent awards framework, and a universal database of actors, technicians, and creative professionals across twelve Indian film industries, aimed at fostering cross-industry and cross-regional collaboration.
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