Vyjayanthimala declined the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress award for Devdas, insisting her role as Chandramukhi was a lead — becoming the first person ever to refuse the honour.
- Film
- Devdas (1955)
- Reason
- Argued it was a lead, not a supporting, role
For her performance as the courtesan Chandramukhi in Devdas (1955), Vyjayanthimala was chosen for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She refused to accept it, contending that her part was a principal role rather than a supporting one and that the classification was unjust.
The gesture made her the first person to turn down a Filmfare Award and became an early, celebrated example of a star publicly challenging the film establishment over how her work was categorised and valued.
Sources
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