Overjoyed, hat-trick ho gayi: Manish Saini on winning third National Award

I am feeling overjoyed, hat-trick ho gayi!” says Manish Saini, who won his third National Award on Friday, as his Hindi short film Giddh (The Scavenger) won in the Best Short Film (Up to 30 Min) category. Manish, who has won the prestigious award earlier for Dhh (2018) and Gandhi & Company (2022), says, “My friends are pulling my leg, saying, ‘Now, buy an almirah for your awards.’ When Giddh won a prestigious award in Japan (it won the Asia International Competition at the renowned Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2023) and qualified for the Oscars, we were very proud and felt that the film deserves some recognition in India too. So, this award feels special. It’s a great moment for Gujarat too, as Vash won two well-deserved awards (Best Gujarati Film and Best Actress in a Supporting Role). I spoke to Krishnadev Yagnik and congratulated him.”‘The competition is very tough when it comes to short films’Talking about the significance of the win, he shares, “The competition is very tough, as you have to compete with several good short films from all over the country. While there are several film festivals for feature films, there are very few festivals in India for showcasing short films. So, it’s a huge recognition and I am already in talks with a few OTT platforms for Giddh.”‘Such recognition gives you renewed energy’Manish says, “Such recognition gives you renewed energy.” He elaborates, “There are times when you may reach a saturation point. But when you win a National Award, it motivates you to keep doing what you are good at. It also makes you feel that you are on the right track. I have never followed trends and after this win, I feel more confident. Mujhe jo achha lagta hai, main wohi banaunga. The audience now wants fresh, original and honest films, formula doesn’t work anymore.”‘Working with Sanjay Mishra was an unforgettable experience’Talking about working with Sanjay Mishra, who played the lead role in Giddh, Manish says, “It was an unforgettable experience. He is extremely humble and such a brilliant actor! We shot the film at Nadiad in three days and it was a hectic schedule (9am to midnight). There was no vanity van, and he would rest at a nearby temple in between shots. I feel lucky to have worked with brilliant actors like Sanjay sir, Naseeruddin Shah (Dhh) and Darshan Jariwalla (Gandhi & Company). As a filmmaker, you learn a lot of new things while working with such terrific performers, who add a lot more to a film apart from what is there in the script.”