Dubai: Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and Marathi actor Girish Kulkarni have received one of India’s highest cinematic honours, the National Awards for films.
Balan won the Best Actress award for her portrayal of an eighties siren in The Dirty Picture while Kulkarni was honoured for his role in the Marathi film, Deool, about the plight of Indian villages and the effect globalisation has on them.
“I am in a state of pleasant shock. Forgive me if I am gushing,” Balan said at a press conference in Dubai on Wednesday afternoon. “I am just so excited.”
The actress was in the emirate for the world premiere of her new film, Kahaani.
“The moment I got the message, I called my family, my mum was crying, my sister was screaming and my dad said ‘oh my God, God bless’ or something. Maybe I am making this up – it’s all so hazy,” she added.
An annual event, the National Awards for film is often considered one of the most reputable since it covers the entire spectrum of Indian cinema, and not just Bollywood. While the winners were announced today (Wednesday), they will be honoured by the Indian president on May 3 at a ceremony in New Delhi.
Besides Balan, it was a big day for regional films who won most of the other major awards. South Indian actor Appukutty won Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Tamil film Azhagar Samiyin Kuthirai and Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi from the north eastern state of Manipur was named Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Meitei film “Phijigee Mani”.
Director Gurvinder Singh won Best Director for his Punjabi film, Anhe Ghorey Da Daan, which was also screened at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival last year.
Best Feature Film was shared Deool and Byari, the first film in the Beary language spoken in coastal Karnataka in south India.
“It is poetic justice that a woman who has done my clothes has won an award,” Balan added at the press conference. The Dirty Picture’s costume designer Niharika Khan and make-up artist Vikram Gaikwad also won honours for their work.
