Returning National award is a courageous act: Rajkummar Rao

MUMBAI: National-award wining actor Rajkummar Rao says he respects the decision of filmmakers returning their National awards, calling it a "courageous" move.

Earlier this week, ten filmmakers, including Dibakar Banerjee and "Hunterr" director Harshvardhan Kulkarni, returned their National awards over "growing intolerance" and support for FTII students.

Rajkummar, who bagged a National award for "Shahid", made his debut with Dibakar's "Love Sex aur Dhoka".

"Being from FTII, I can absolutely understand what the students are going through. It's very courageous of the people who are returning their National awards. Its a way of protest... I respect their decision," the actor told reporters here.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the premiere of his real-life inspired drama "Aligarh" at the 17th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

The Hansal Mehta-directed film also stars Manoj Bajpayee and is based on the real life incident of professor Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, who was fired from his job because of his sexual orientation.

When asked if the film might run into trouble with the government given its bold theme, the 31-year-old "Queen" actor said, "Government? The movie has been made for the nation and the audience. They are ready to watch all kinds of cinema today. There's nothing controversial in the film. These things are happening around us."

On the affordable housing front, it is the state government's endeavour to give incentive to affordable housing to ensure 2.5 lakh such houses are built this year, he said.

A new housing policy may be tabled in winter session of state legislature, he said.

The Canadian pension fund is putting in around Rs 12,000 crore in this sector, he said.

On the industrial front, Fadnavis said Maharashtra has attracted investments of Rs one lakh crore, including from giants like Foxconn who he said will be a game changer for industrial development of Maharashtra.