Awards would be important if they made sense: Gauri Shinde

Dear Zindagi director Gauri Shinde finds awards to be not so credible. She adds there is no pressure on her due to success.

With two back-to-back hit films English Vinglish (2012) and Dear Zindagi (2016), director Gauri Shinde’s track record and films have proved her caliber and made her stand apart. While some might want to encash their success, Gauri wants to make films at her own pace as she feels no pressure to tell stories. Excerpts from an interview.

Gauri Shinde doesn’t feel any pressure while making films. (Yogen Shah)

With your previous success, is there pressure to deliver with your next?

Not at all. I didn’t feel any pressure while making the films. The pressure I feel is that I am dying to tell this story. That is all that drives me. I don’t carry any baggage.

Still from Dear Zindagi.

Do you feel the need to make a film soon after a successful project?

Do you enjoy writing or directing?

Both. Writing is great and beautiful. Every day one is struggling with a scene and then you crack it. It is great fun. Shooting gives me an adrenaline rush working with a group of people coming together. I love to be on a set. In the mornings, I feel why did I choose this profession as you don’t want to get up and work. But when you shoot scenes to your satisfaction, then you feel good.

Still from English Vinglish.

Which are the other actors you wish to work with?

Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh to name a few. I would also love to work with Sridevi, Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan again as well. My wish list is to get a good story first, the rest will then fall into place.

How important are awards for you?

Not at all. My award and reward are the personal stories people tell me about how my film affected them and their take away. Awards would be important if they made sense and were credible.