I’m ready to relinquish my State Awards: Upendra

Real Star Upendra may be shooting in Thailand, but he's clued in to the proceedings back home with regard to the controversial state awards. "I'm aware that the 2010-2011 State Film Awards will be withdrawn by the government and there's speculation that a new committee may be formed to select films afresh. I accept this decision and have no qualms about relinquishing my award," says Upendra, who took home the Best Director and Best Film award for his Nayanthara-starrer Super.

The decision to withdraw the awards comes in the wake of a legal row, after it was alleged that members directly or indirectly linked to some of the award-winning movies were on the judging panel. Ashok Cashyap, the cinematographer of Super, was also on the jury. "There's a by-law that forbids members who're involved with the participating films from being on the jury. Ashok was told not to watch Super while the other judges saw it," explains the actor. And while he supports a fair process in decision-making, the actor wonders if it's possible to form a committee that is in no way connected to the contending films, given that there will be over 50 on the list.

But, is he upset with film personalities Basanth Kumar Patil or Priya Hassan for raising objections to the awards? "Each is right in their own way and can claim what they feel is due to them. I will gladly give up my award if it makes any of them happy. I got my trophy when Super celebrated 100 days," he says.