Ayushmann Khurrana hails Berlin Film Festival's announcement to keep awards gender-neutral

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana on Monday lauded the Berlin Film Festival's decision to keep its performance awards gender-neutral from next year.

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana on Monday lauded the Berlin Film Festival's decision to keep its performance awards gender-neutral from next year. "I, wholeheartedly, laud the Berlin Film Festival's decision to award gender-neutral recognitions and I hope all film festivals across the world and India follow suit. We are all actors at the end of the day and gender divisions only highlight the long prevalent divisive nature of societies," he said.

"Thus, it is important that gender-neutral awards should become the norm when it comes to adjudicating the best work in a year," Khurrana added. Khurrana feels films and film-stars can do their bit constantly to have such relevant conversations in a bid to achieve gender parity in society.

"Gender divisions are too deep-rooted and the film industry can really do their bit to champion change. Gendered awards, according to me, are totally outdated and should be scrapped," the 'Vicky Donor' actor said. He went on to plead to all award functions in India to take the inevitable trend seriously.

"I seriously hope all award functions in India take a step in the right direction and do what is the most obvious thing towards having a more progressive society. For me, good performances are good performances and they should be seen without the gender lens," he said. The world-renowned Berlin Film Festival had earlier last month decided that its performance awards will be gender-neutral for next year's edition.

The festival said that instead of bestowing the best male actor and the best female actor, they will bestow the best leading performer. (ANI)