The talk of the 72nd National Awards was undeniably Article 370. The political thriller grabbed the award for Best Feature Film and Yami Gautam Dhar took home the award for Best Actress for her turn as intelligence officer Zooni Haksar. It was a defining moment for the team and a clear victory for mainstream cinema.
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Fans celebrated.
On forums and in industry circles, however, debate erupted almost immediately.
A key name missing from the winners’ list: Kani Kusruti.
Earlier that year, Kusruti was on the red carpet at France. Her work in Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light, had won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. That made the film the second highest honor at the festival and was significant because no Indian film had competed in the main Cannes competition in 30 years. Reviewers around the world praised Kusruti’s masterfully restrained and realistic portrayal of Prabha, and the jury favoring Gautam’s loud, action-hero role in comparison was telling in the conversation that arose.
Understanding Prabha in All We Imagine as Light
In Payal Kapadia’s award-winning film, Kani Kusruti plays Prabha, a veteran nurse at a bustling Mumbai hospital. Her husband has lived and worked in Germany for years, seldom visiting and barely keeping in touch. Prabha finds herself trapped in an emotional vacuum between her socially designated role and her inner emotions that have been suppressed.
Kusruti’s performance isn’t characterized by grand speeches or explosive outbursts; instead, it thrives in the awkward silences of everyday life. In one particularly moving scene, a new red rice cooker is delivered to Prabha’s small apartment as a gift from her estranged husband. When she unwraps it, her expression isn’t one of tears or frustration; it’s a quiet, heavy realization that an appliance represents the remnants of her marriage. Kusruti communicates years of suppressed sadness through the slight slump of her shoulders and the minute tightening around her mouth.
That kind of subtle acting is exceptionally challenging. Achieving gravitas through silence requires meticulous control, which Kusruti, with her background in physical theater from L’cole Internationale de Thtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, brings to the screen. She relies on her posture and her eyes to deliver an emotional narrative without the need for dialogue.
High Decibels Versus Micro Expressions
Yami Gautam’s performance in Article 370 employs a very different acting toolbox. Playing an agent fighting bureaucratic red tape and terror threats, her role demanded intense, focused stares, quick movements, vocal shouting, and an authoritative presence.
This is a performance that’s undeniably energetic and fits the profile of a fast-paced political thriller, but the role is also in line with conventional Bollywood and Indian cinema, which have historically celebrated overtly emotional performances. When actors yell, weep or make a speech on patriotism and duty, juries readily recognize the effort that went into the performance.
Low-key acting is much more likely to be overlooked. In scenes where Kani Kusruti walks through a rainy Mumbai street or sits quietly with her roommate, she doesn’t look like she is acting; she appears as real as any character you might see on the street. Because she doesn’t rely on over-the-top expressions, it might appear to the unobservant that the role was an easy one. In truth, making a role feel natural while keeping an audience engaged is incredibly difficult.
Global Accolades Versus a Local Snub
The dissonance between Kusruti’s performance’s reception abroad and its recognition in her home country is significant. All We Imagine as Light was acclaimed at festivals worldwide and was recognized as Sight & Sound’s film of the year. The New York Times also listed it as their top film for 2024, with many reviewers identifying Kusruti’s grounding lead performance as the anchor for the entire film.
The complete absence of the film, and its actors, from the National Award list therefore caused many filmmakers, including director Onir who voiced his dissent publicly, to question the choices of the jury.
This wasn’t just about one award; it highlighted the discrepancy between what the global community lauded as great Indian performances and what local committees deemed worthy of recognition.
How Jury Preferences Impact Outcomes
National Award juries differ from year to year, but trends have been consistent. The jury typically gravitates towards films with broad national significance, clear political undertones, and commercial success. Article 370 met all of these criteria; it had broad appeal, centered around recent current events, and was technically well-produced.
Independent films like All We Imagine as Light fall on a completely different spectrum.
They often don’t offer clear moral answers or moments of heroism; rather, they provide a nuanced exploration of ordinary working women, the urban experience of loneliness, and the fragility of human connection. In a direct comparison between two performances, the high-intensity drama of a political operative is almost guaranteed to draw a jury’s attention over the mundane routine of a hospital nurse. What gets lost in the prioritization of overtly dramatic performances is the artistry of subtlety, the craft of conveying deep emotion through a few precise actions, and the power of quiet acting to move audiences profoundly.
A Statement on Award Preferences
The 72nd National Award winners have brought to light a recurring tendency of award juries. Films that offer high-octane drama and straightforward narratives have often overshadowed quieter, character-driven pieces, resulting in a skewed representation of acting excellence. Kani Kusruti’s performance in All We Imagine as Light may not have garnered the local acclaim she deserved, but it remains a significant contribution by an Indian actor on the world stage, a testament to how much can be conveyed through a lack of ostentatious display.
