In a New Year televised interview Makkal Selvan Vijay Sethupathi has firmly stated that he would never accept a National Award as Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan never received one.  His decision apparently stands good for all awards as he feels a lot of politics is involved.

Vijay Sethupathi lauded Sivaji Ganesan as an incomparable acting genius who had never hesitated to handle any kind of role.  In spite of criticism that he overacted Vijay Sethupathi feels that the Nadigar Thilagam remains a dictionary for all actors.  The fact that politics saw to it that Sivaji never received a National Award, is an indication of what the award is really about.