My joy multiplied with Rekha's win: Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj bagged his fourth national award for Ishqiya, but more than being happy for himself, the filmmaker-singer-composer was elated over his wife's first win.

Vishal Bhardwaj bagged his fourth national award Thursday, but more than being happy for himself, the filmmaker-singer-composer was elated over his wife's first win.

HT Image

Both were honoured for the film

Ishqiya

, which was directed by debutant Abhishek Chaubey and produced by Bhardwaj, who also composed music for the rural drama.

While Bhardwaj won the best music direction award, Rekha was named the best female playback singer for the song

Badi dheere

that has been penned by Gulzar. The 58th National Film Awards were announced in the capital on Thursday.

"This is Rekha's first national award and of course it was a moment of joy for both of us because the happiness multiplied. To get national award with your spouse in the same year is a great feeling," the 50-year-old told

IANS

in an interview.

Vishal Bhardwaj's Ishqiya has won four National Awards

"I also had a word with Gulzar

saab

and he is feeling like a proud father whose two children have got the national award," he added.

Bharadwaj had earlier won the prestigious award for

Godmother

,

Blue Umbrella

and

Omkara

in different categories.

"Definitely the feeling that you get when you receive an award for the first time is totally different, but whenever you get an award, it's a great feeling and it instills more confidence in you. Especially a national award," he said.

"It is the most prestigious award. All the other popular awards are either run by some film magazine or corporate houses, but this is an award by the country. So country is felicitating and honouring you, which is great," he added.

Ishqiya

songs

Ibn-e-batuta

,

Dil toh bachcha hai ji

and

Ab mujhe koi

were not only liked by the masses, but also music experts.

Was he expecting the award?

"Usually when the songs become popular, they don't get national award. My previous film for which I got a national award for music direction was

Godmother

, and the songs were not popular.

"My most popular music, be it in

Omkara

,

Maachis

or

Kaminey

, didn't get a national award. So I was not expecting and that is the beauty of national award, when you don't expect it, you get it," he added.

The couple has major celebration plans with their close friends and family on Thursday night.

"We are meeting our friends today (Thursday) and we will get drunk, dance, celebrate and the celebrations will go on for sometime," said Vishal.