India, Aug. 2 -- On Friday, the 71st National Film Awards were announced, and The Kerala Story won two honours: Best Director for Sudipto Sen and Best Cinematography for Prasantanu Mohapatra. However, the film's win has sparked debate online, with many questioning its recognition given the controversy surrounding its theme of religious conversion. Now, in an interview with NDTV, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, who headed the Feature Film Jury, has explained why the film was chosen.

The Feature Film Jury of the National Awards, which recognised The Kerala Story in the two aforementioned categories, was led by director Ashutosh Gowariker. Speaking about the jury's decision, Gowariker said, "One is the cinematography award. The cinematography...