Prez invokes 'unity in diversity' at Nat Awards amid controversy

President Ram Nath Kovind today said the Indian film industry's "biggest strength" is that it unites people from across the country as he presented the National Film Awards for the year gone by.

At the presentation ceremony of the 65th edition of the prestigious awards, he said cinema not only depicts the diversity but also plays an important role in "maintaining" it.

His comments came amid a boycott by some winners who did not attend the ceremony after it was announced that the president will not be giving away all the awards due to time constraints.

"The film industry unites us as few others do. We know our diversity is our unity - is our biggest strength. Our films not only depict this diversity but also play an important role in maintaining it. Our films' narratives are also attached to the culture.

"Our films both entertain and educate. They also showcase the social challenges we still need to tackle. And most importantly, it is done through such a language that is understood by everyone," Kovind said.

He also said that despite being a country rich in languages, cinema is a language in itself that speaks to so many people across vast landscapes at the same time.

"Films are made in a variety of languages in India, from Bhojpuri to Tamil, Marathi to Malayalam to several others. And yet cinema is a language in itself. Hindi cinema has probably done more than any other institution to popularise Hindi as a language across the country. One doesn't have to be a Bengali to appreciate the humanism and the nuance of a Satyajit Ray or a Ritwik Ghatak film.

"We need not know Telugu to be mesmerised by the epic of 'Baahubali'. And let us not forget that A R Rahman - who has won the National Award again - made an early impression even among those who did not understand the Tamil words of the songs, but were nevertheless enchanted by his music," he said.

This year's Dadasaheb Phalke winner actor Vinod Khanna and best actress winner Sridevi received special mentions by the president and so did Ladakhi language film "Sinjar" and Assamese language "Village Rockstars", the best feature film.

Kovind said from the country's first full-length feature film "Raja Harishchandra" by Phalke in 1913, Indian cinema has come a long way, having as progressed in terms of "technical excellence, sound effects, cinematography, experiments with forms, out-of-box scripts and what goes behind and in front of the camera" that have revolutionised the films.

The creative scale, artistic expression and budgets have all expanded, he added.

He asserted that films are "one of our foremost exports and an important device for connecting the global Indian community".

"The Indian film industry is among the largest film industries in the world with about 1, 500 films a year. It is an expression of Indian soft power as a transcendental footprint. Our film are watched and appreciated in Japan, Egypt, China and the United States and Russia and so many far off countries... India is a part of an integrated ecosystem but it needs to climb up... It is gaining traction as a filmmaking destination."