Kirti Kulhari upset with ‘supporting’ nomination

The very accomplished Kirti Kulhari, who is currently playing the lead in Madhur Bhandarkar’s political drama, Indu Sarkar, has just been nominated for Best Supporting Actress at an award show for her powerful performance in Annirudh Roy Choudhuri’s Pink.

However, Kirti refuses to see herself as just a supporting actress in the movie.

Argues Kirti, “I don’t think I am alright with being nominated in the supporting actor category as I do not really understand the criteria and the definition for this term. I have as much to do in the film, if not more, than the other female characters and if anything, my breakdown in the court scene is one of the major highlights and turning points in the film. So, I really don’t know why I should be seen anything but a lead.”

If Kirti wins and refuses the Filmfare award in the supporting-actress category, she’d be the third actress to do so.

In 1955, the accomplished performer,  Vyjanthimala refused to accept the Filmfare award for best supporting actress in Bimal Roy’s Devdas, arguing that her Chandramukhi was as pivotal as Suchitra Sen’s Paro in the film. In 1977, Reena Roy also refused the award for her performance in J. Om Prakash’s Apnapan, arguing that she, and not Sulakshana Pandit, who played the other  protagonist, was the female lead of the film.