Read: ‘Many trained talented artistes are unrecognised’: Kani Kusruti interview But I can only say how I felt, I don’t know how others feel about it,” Kani said. Even if there was no COVID-19, I’d still prefer it since I don’t prefer going to public functions much anyway. I’d have been perfectly happy if there was no function at all in the first place and the award was sent home. It’s always better to be safe considering people of different age groups were present there. We are actors who come from different shooting locations. In today’s circumstances especially, it didn’t seem offensive to me in any way. Any action when done more than once becomes a ritual. We should respect people’s convenience more than these rituals. “Personally, I don’t care for such customs. Kani Kusruti, who won the award for Best Actor (Female), told TNM that she did not think anything was wrong with the arrangement. The Chief Minister did not wear gloves, but instead suggested the use of a table. However, a sound technician had tested positive while taking the test ahead of the function, said a source at the Kerala Chalachithra Academy, which organised the event.
It is equivalent to insulting them when you place the award on a table and ask them to pick it up, he said. The award winners had gone through a COVID-19 test, so what was the problem in handing the trophies to them, he asked. Producer G Suresh Kumar told Asianet News that such an arrangement was not appropriate. I request everyone to accept this method,” CM Pinarayi said.
To follow COVID-19 protocol, we’ve used this method in some other functions earlier. The best way out is to place the awards on a table in front and let the award winner come forward to accept it, while everyone else honours them. But we also need to honour these artistes. It’s not ideal for one person, let it be me or anyone else, to present the awards to more than a hundred people in these times. I think we also need a method in award distribution. Maintaining physical distance and wearing masks is most important.
That’s why all of us are sitting at a distance from each other, and wearing masks. “Since it’s COVID-19 times, we’ve adopted a special arrangement for such functions.