According to the list that circulated in the days leading up to the award announcement, Kani was at the top of the list of winners that many expected. That expectation was not unfounded. Kani's film 'All We Imagine Us Light', which was India's pride at international venues including the Cannes Film Festival, was named after her. Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha played the lead roles in Payal Kapadia's film, which presented the complexities of women's lives and different aspects of female sisterhood. The film, which was screened at various venues across the country even before its theatrical release, also won critical acclaim.

Although the film revolves around Mumbai, Payal Kapadia made a Malayalam film titled ‘Prabhay Ninachanthu’. Kani and Divya Prabha gave excellent performances in the film. But both of them were not even mentioned by name in the Malayalam film awards. Kani Kusruthi portrayed the character of Prabha, reflecting the thirty-something woman who has turned her back on life in her face, eyes and movements. But it must be assumed that the jury did not see this.

The state film jury gave a special category award to Payal Kapadia’s ‘Malayalam’ film, which has been recognized at various international forums – the ‘Female or Transgender’ category of the film!!!!! It goes without saying that the ‘feminist’ stance of the State Film Award itself deserves special mention!

Actress Kani Kusruthi, on the other hand, has often revealed her leftist politics and pro-feminist stances. When the film ‘Prabhaayai Ninachathellaam’ was screened at Cannes, Kani Kusruthi’s ‘Watermelon’ clutch, expressing support for Palestine on the international stage, was a topic of discussion, including in foreign media. The Left party exploited it to its fullest. However, the Left government’s jury, which had felicitated all the film workers who were politically aligned with it, only rejected Kani. It is not clear what the reason was behind rejecting Kani when even those accused in the ED case and the rape case were given consideration. 

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