How does it feel winning a National Award?
I am humbled to be honoured amongst the best that the country has seen in cinema during 2022.It takes me back 30 years, when Hum Aapke Hain Koun won the National Award for best film. The rush and happiness that I felt as a young director then was crazy! But today, as I get the National Award for Best Director – Uunchai, there is a sense of gratitude and calmness.. The joy and happiness are much more internal today! As a director, my job for the last 35 years has been to keep telling stories. And I’m not done yet, there’s much more to come!
What does National Award mean to you?
Our National Film Awards unite our industry because they are a celebration of films made in every language! Winning the Best Director at this stage, makes me feel humbled and honoured to the core. I feel I have truly climbed my Everest today. This immense recognition belongs to my entire team of senior actors and technicians, who fought the pandemic and shot at unheard locations with me.
Did you know Aamir Khan was the first choice for the role of ‘Prem’ played by Salman Khan in ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’?
Whom would you like to dedicate the award to?
Uunchai was a special film..made in the 75th year of our production house. I would like to dedicate this award to Rajshri Productions and to all my elders in the family, under whom we continue to learn, to tell stories which can be inspiring, happy, and which help us trust each other and the power of goodness.
Uunchai tells the story of the friendship between Boman Irani, Amitabh Bachchan, and Anupam Kher’s characters. It also stars Neena Gupta, Sarika, and Parineeti Chopra in prominent roles. The film marked the directorial comeback of Sooraj Barjatya after his 2015 family drama Prem Ratan Dhan Payo which starred Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, and Anupam Kher in the lead roles.
