One film, eleven awards?

National Film Awards is regarded as one of the most prestigious honours in the Bangladeshi film industry.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced winners of the 2020 awards on Tuesday. 

The awards were presented to 31 people in 26 categories. Among them, 'Gor', a film directed by producer and actor Gazi Rakayet, has won the highest number of honours, a total of 11 awards.

'Bishwoshundori', directed by Chayanika Chowdhury, was in second place bagging a total of 6 awards.

Having received so many awards, 'Gor' is now the talk of the internet. So did no other film meet the standard of National Film Awards?

"There were 13 members in the jury board. After watching the films, jury members privately gave out scores for each category. The scores were then aggregated and whichever film received the highest number was presented with the award," said Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar, a member of the jury board of the National Film Awards 2020.

"Even if I don't like a film, maybe other jury members liked it. At times, a good fit for a particular category is hard to find. And perhaps, that is how one film bags many awards," he added.

At the start of 2020, the release of several movies were delayed due to the pandemic. Only 25 movies were released that year, and out of these 25 films only 14 films were submitted for the National Film Awards. The feature-length movies included Bir, Shahenshah, Unoponchash Batash, Gor, Bishwoshundori, Ekjon Mohaan neta, Holud Bani, Gondi, Rupsha Nodir Baankey, Amar Maa, Cholo Jai, Joynagarer Zamindar, Subarnarekha and Hridoy Jurey.

"A film cannot excel at everything. So, whichever sector the film shines, usually that is what it is awarded for. And this year 'Gor' has earned it," said Film critic Anupam Hayat.

In 2019, Masood Pathik's movie 'Maya The Lost Mother' won awards in the top eight categories. In 2016, Saiful Islam Mannu's 'Putra' won 11 awards, Badrul Anam Saud's 'Gahin Baluchar' received seven awards, and 'Ainabaji' directed by Amitabh Reza received seven awards. In 2015, 'Bapjan's Bioscope' directed by Reazul Riju won eight awards.