The timeline for this year’s National awards is somewhat confusing. Ajay Devgan has been given the National award for best actor in Tanhaji,a film that released pre-pandemic in January 2020.
But Kangana Ranaut had been given the National award last year for Panga which also released in January 2020
So how are two actors eligible during two different year for films released in the same year and same month?
Are we to presume that the National awards no longer follow any timeline? That actors, films and filmmakers from any year in the past could be eligible during any year in the future? In that case, the National awards should belatedly honour Dilip Kumar for Devdas, Sridevi for Sadma, R D Burman for Amar Prem and Shakti Samanta for lifetime achievement