62nd National Awards: Winners speak

The 62nd National Awards managed to spring a few surprises. Shahid Kapoor's Haider topped the leaderboard at the 62nd National Awards with five wins, while Queen's haul included two trophies. Best Actor Vijay plays a transgender in the Kannada film, Naanu Avanalla, Avalu while Best Actress Kangana Ranaut, jilted on the eve of her wedding goes off on a honeymoon alone and returns to turn away the groom who'd caused her so much grief, in the film Queen.

Mumbai Mirror spoke to some of the winners. Here's what they said...

Vikas Bahl (Director, Best Hindi Film, Queen): I was out the country and just got back last night so I wasn't even aware that the National Awards were to be announced today. Anurag (Kashyap) ran into my room with the news and I hugged both him and Vikram (Vikramaditya Motwane). It's even more thrilling because Kangana (Ranaut) has also won the Best Actress award. No one deserves it more, she brought the character and the film alive. After the Filmfare Award, this is like the grand finale!

Vishal Bhardwaj (Best Dialogue, Best Music, Haider): I'm overwhelmed! I have won four National Awards before but never two together and this takes my tally up to six. I don't have any respect for popular awards, which is why I did not attend any of the award functions. I was waiting for the National Awards to be announced and since there'd been so much controversy over Haider, I was doubtful of a win. But we got the maximum awards, five. When the I & B Minister for State, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, was in Mumbai recently he assured us that the doings of the CBFC didn't have anything to do with the ministry. This proves that their intentions are good and fair.

Sukhwinder Singh (Best Male Playback singer, 'Bismil'): Even when we were recording the song I knew it was special. The word 'bismil' in the lyrics in itself is so pious. The picturisation was amazing and we knew it was a winner. The song was composed and recorded in the style of an opera. The lyrics gave me some anxious moments as some of the words were tongue-twisters. The efforts paid off as the public loved it and the National Award is like the icing on the cake.

Dolly Ahluwalia (Best Costume Designer, Haider): This is the best that could happen to Haider. It doesn't get better. Thank you is a very small term for this occasion, but I would have been zero without my lovely team that helped me get the clothes right for the film. I am humbled. This is the great est moment of my professional career.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Producer of Mary Kom): It is a huge honour. I've given the film everything and all the hard work that has gone into making it has finally paid off. I wish Priyanka too would have won the award but Kangana's was a spectacular performance. It's a victory for each and every technician associated with the film.

Chaitanya Tamhane (Director of Court, Best Film): It couldn't have come at a better time. Our film is just about to release next month and boom, comes a pleasant surprise! What's also interesting is that after being recognised all over the world, we've finally got the top honour in India. It will help us in making Court more visible.

Srijit Mukherji (Best Director and Best Screenplay, Chotushkone): It's a rare honour to win two National Awards in the same year. I'm totally awestruck because Chotushkone was not linear storytelling. It starts off as a Bombay Talkies and then turns into a thriller. Its unique plot and experimental structure made me worried about its box office performance but it completed a 100-day run in Kolkata and even before this honour, a lot of producers have shown interest in remaking it and my other films like Baishe Shrabon, Hemlock Society and Autograph in Hindi. I'm just waiting for the right cast and producer so I don't have to compromise on the soul.