Uunchai wins two National Awards Director Sooraj Barjatya expresses his feelings on the award

MUMBAI: Question - 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!

Question - 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.

Question - 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.