Manoj Bajpayee is no stranger to awards and honours, and the latest to join his list is the top recognition at National Film Awards- Best Actor for his film Bhonsle (2019).
He is recovering from Covid at the moment, but when we talk to him, the excitement is more than evident in his voice, “I am feeling so happy, not only for myself, but also for my director Devashish Makhija, who has put all his beliefs and energy into it. I also feel thankful to Sandiip Kapoor, Piiyush Singh, and all the producers who have put in their energy and support in making this film. Also to each and everyone in the jury who thought if fit to give me this award.”
This is Bajpayee’s third National Award. He adds, “Many times in the past, I felt many of my deserving ones got somewhere left out, but Bhonsle getting it has completely covered or made me forget everything that I didn’t get in the past. I thank everyone.”
We ask him further if National Awards indeed are then a testimony to acclaimed films like Bhonsle getting sidelined at other film awards, proving how it’s all about mainstream cinema for them. “I don’t know, these are very controversial questions. Putting one against the other is not something which is my scene. But it has happened in the past, my film Pinjar didn’t get any mention in any of the mainstream awards. Getting the National Award definitely makes you forget everything wrong that has happened in the past. But why to think about it? You think about this, celebrate, be thankful to Almighty, to all the people who have shown so much belief,” he quips.
{{/usCountry}}We ask him further if National Awards indeed are then a testimony to acclaimed films like Bhonsle getting sidelined at other film awards, proving how it’s all about mainstream cinema for them. “I don’t know, these are very controversial questions. Putting one against the other is not something which is my scene. But it has happened in the past, my film Pinjar didn’t get any mention in any of the mainstream awards. Getting the National Award definitely makes you forget everything wrong that has happened in the past. But why to think about it? You think about this, celebrate, be thankful to Almighty, to all the people who have shown so much belief,” he quips.
{{/usCountry}}Bhonsle, he says, is more than an important film to him. “It is a mission, which has come full circle and completed it’s journey. It took us four years to arrange the finance, and my association with Devashish started because of this film. There was no taker or support we got in this industry, we have done it all alone, with the help of few people like Sandiip and Piiyush, and many producers who have put in little money into it. I really think this award is not only for me, but all these guys,” he signs off.
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