"We are overwhelmed. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears that we have won five national awards. Big achievement for my entire unit," said Vishal Bhardwaj while talking to the media yesterday after his last film Haider won five National Awards.
Haider - a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet - set in the backdrop of Kashmir, won Best Male Playback Singer for Sukhwinder Singh for the song Bismil; Best Dialogues and Music Direction for the film's director Vishal Bhardwaj; Best Choreography for Norway-based Sudesh Adhana; and Best Costume Designer for Dolly Ahluwalia.
"I didn't get any awards in the popular category. But it doesn't matter. I don't believe in those awards. I don't have respect for those awards. I don't care for those awards. I don't like to go for those awards. I respect only national awards and that's what I look forward to. This is a thrilling moment for me."
Continuing his speech, the Haider director said, "In some award functions, Haider was not even nominated for music. And now, I have got a National Award for it.
More than the awards, I hate the ceremonies which go on for eight-nine hours. It's all done for TV. They are sold and people make money out of it. I feel so bored. I was very happy when they were held outdoors and they used to finish the event by 10.30 pm. With this new phenomena of holding them in Yash Raj Studios, they tend to go on till 4 am. I don't have the patience."
Talking about his Haider actor Shahid Kapoor, he said, "Shahid is my lucky mascot. Shahid too should have won a National Award," then quickly retracted to say, "But it's not fair to say that as I haven't seen the guy who won it (Southern actor, Vijay)."
Added Bhardwaj, who had earlier directed Shahid in Kaminey, "Kashmiri Pandits deserved a film long before Haider. When Anupam Kher got a chance, he made Om Jai Jagdish. Vidhu Vinod Chopra made Mission Kashmir wherein no Pandit was mentioned."
Late evening, Team Haider had a party at Juhu, Mumbai.
Here are the pictures:
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