Written by Intern Queeny George M.H, Team Allycaral
Goan filmmaker Miransha Naik has taken a bold and unprecedented step by returning all 14 awards his film Juze won at the recent Goa State Film Festival, organised by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG). His decision stems from a serious protest against the ESG’s evaluation of the same film as ‘C’ grade in its long-delayed Film Finance Scheme — a move that has raised eyebrows and sparked debate across the Indian film community.
Juze, a critically acclaimed Konkani film that brought international attention to Goa’s regional cinema, had swept the awards at the state-level event, establishing Naik’s voice as one of the strongest in contemporary Konkani storytelling. However, the filmmaker expressed deep disappointment when the ESG, which had just celebrated his work, assigned it the lowest grade possible in its finance evaluation process.
This grading has significant implications — not just financial, but symbolic — as it determines whether filmmakers receive state support to continue their work. For Naik, it was a contradiction too stark to ignore. Returning the awards, he stated that such grading undermines not only his film’s merit but also the broader credibility of the ESG’s support for homegrown cinema.
The move has reignited concerns over transparency, consistency, and fairness within the ESG’s evaluation framework. For many in the regional and national film industry, Naik’s protest is a wake-up call — a demand for clearer policies and genuine encouragement for films that aim to elevate Konkani cinema on the global stage.
As the story unfolds, it remains to be seen whether this protest will lead to any institutional change. What’s clear is that Miransha Naik has made a powerful statement: recognition means little without respect and integrity in the process that grants it.
