National Film Awards winners react with joy and pride
IT’S BEEN A BOLLYWOOD Sweep at the National Film Awards this year, and the industry is rejoicing since Friday afternoon. The winners – especially young, first-time winners such as Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal – are overjoyed to say the least. Ayushmann and Vicky won the Best Actor National Award jointly for Andhadhun and Uri: The Surgical Strike respectively, and both actors are proud that their hard work has paid off at such an early stage of their career.
Describing the experience as “truly humbling and hugely gratifying”, Ayushmann said the honour was “a validation of my hard work, my belief system, my journey in movies and my reason to be an actor.” He said director Sriram Raghavan deserved all the accolades “for creating a new genre of cinema for Indian audiences to enjoy”, and that he was “truly fortunate” to be a part of Sriram Raghvan’s vision. “As an artiste, Andhadhun challenged me and made me a better actor,” he added, promising to continue on the “journey to discover and back cinema that truly stands apart and brings people back into the theatres”.
Vicky admitted he was too excited to describe how he felt. “Words might fall short to describe the happiness I’m feeling right now. For my work to be recognised by the honourable National Film Awards Jury is truly a moving moment for me and my family. I wish to thank each and every member of the jury committee for finding me worthy of the prestigious Best Actor Award,” he said.
About Ayushmann, Vicky added: “I’m also very happy to be sharing the award with someone whom I admire, both as a person and as an actor.”
Songs & social issues
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat won big in the song and dance categories. Arijit Singh won Best Male Playback Singer for the song Binte dil Misriya Mein, and Bhansali won Best Music Direction (Songs). Kruti Mahesh Madya and Jyoti Tomar won the Best Choreography awards for the song Ghoomar. “I’m very happy and honoured. Music has always been a very important part of my life so this award is very special,” said Bhansali..
Pad Man won the award for Best Film on Social Issues. Akshay Kumar stars in the film, co-produced by his wife Twinkle Khanna. “I was in the midst of Mission Mangal promotions when Tina (his wife Twinkle) called me asking if Pad Man had actually won a National Award for Best Film On Social Issues. The tiredness of promotions vanished on hearing the news. I remember how, on the sets of Pad Man, Sonam and I got the news of winning our respective National Awards last year. So life has come full circle.” and respectively
The honour is a validation of my hard work, my belief system, my journey in movies and my reason to be an actor.” Ayushmann Khurrana