Award winning children's film is a remake: Jury member

National Film Award jury member from Kerala C Harikumar today claimed Malayalam film Keshu which shared the best children's film award with a Kannada movie, was a remake of a film directed by him in 2001.

"All characters, story line and film situations in Keshu, directed by Shivan is similar and a remake of the film Pularivattom directed by me," Harikumar said during a press conference.

"I did not disclose this fact to other jury members as I thought it will not be proper for me to do so being a jury from Kerala. I felt it is not proper on my part to disclose that Keshu is a remake of my own film. Otherwise I should have quit the committee and disclosed it," he claimed.

The remarks of Harikumar come in the wake of Shivan blaming him for Malayalam films getting less number of awards this time. Shivan had also alleged that Harikumar tried to block award for Keshu.

Harikumar said a Bengali film was not considered for award after it was found that it was a remake.

He claimed his decision not to disclose about Keshu being a remake could be "considered a favour to Shivan".

Selection of Amitabh Bachchan as best actor was a majority decision of the jury members, Harikumar said adding Malayalam actor Mammootty was considered for the award till the last round.