The reason she is being given the award is for her work in films and for her acting skills (if any). Katrina has also been blamed for her command over Hindi but you can’t blame her after all she is of British origin.
“The academy has been giving this distinguished award ever since it was established, and this year, the jury has unanimously nominated Katrina for the Smita Patil Memorial Award for her work in films,” Niranjan Hiranandani, chairman of the Priyadarshni Academy told Bombay Times.
“This award goes to her as a recognition to an outstanding individual who has shown excellence in her field,” said Nanik Rupani, founder of the academy.
The award is legit given in the honor of the Smita Patel who passed away in 1986 at the young age of 31 after a successful run in Bollywood in the ‘parallel cinema’ as well as mainstream Hindi films which deviated from the glamour of the other heroines of the era.
The award was first given to Tanvi Azmi and has been earlier given to Sridevi, Manisha Koirala, Tabu, Urmila Matondkar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra.
However, when Katrina was reported to be honoured with the award for contribution to cinema, it caused a huge internet frenzy and many on Twitter couldn’t digest it and shared a piece of their mind.
Patel’s son Prateik Babbar appeared clueless and said that he has problems with Katrina being given the award. “It’s a good news, I have heard she is a hardworking actress,” he told BollywoodLife.
Katrina Kaif receiving Smita Patil Memorial Award is same as Sajid Khan getting an Oscar
— Bobby Deol 📱 (@thebobbydeoll) September 16, 2016
Katrina kaif getting Smita Patil memorable award is like Rahul Gandhi getting PM post for his work… 😛
— Ankur Suri (@EnggineerAnkurS) September 16, 2016
Katrina Kaif getting the Smita Patil award is wonderful news. It has paved the way for Chetan Bhagat getting the Nobel Prize for Literature — The Bad Doctor (@DOCTORATLARGE) September 16, 2016
Katrina kaif seems to have purchased Smita patil award, to take attention off #BaarBaarDekho failure.
Does she even know Smita patil?— Ashish (@apunmumbaiyyaa) September 16, 2016
Katrina Kaif to get Smita Patil award for acting. Wtf! What next? Rahul Gandhi to get Nobel Peace and KRK to get and Oscar? @Sarcasm_So — Abhinav Mathur (@mathur_poet) September 15, 2016
#KatrinaKaif to get Smita patil memorial award for her excellence in Bollywood
Someone kill me— Sameera Gawandi (@sameeratweeter) September 15, 2016
#katrinaKaif must be busy googling #SmitaPatil today! — Showstopper (@muktadhara) September 15, 2016
@pinkvilla seriously? Samit patel the “actress” of class and stature. And katrina is awarded with an ‘acting award’. Are u kidding me
— Nida Khawaja (@NKhwja) September 15, 2016
See this and tell me you are not a fan ! Pretty sure the jury saw this too ☺️ pic.twitter.com/D5OJOrhASt — The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) September 16, 2016
Katrina Kaif celebrating her Smita Patil award for contribution to Indian Cinema. pic.twitter.com/4bCs7nm4x2
— $ir $ri Aditya Magal (@jhunjhunwala) September 16, 2016