Manoj Bajpayee on receiving his fourth National Film Award: "I consider myself a very lucky artist"

Manoj Bajpayee and Sharmila Tagore's Gulmohar won three awards at the 70th National Film Awards. The esteemed event is happening in Delhi today, where the winners will be honored by President Droupadi Murmu. Before the awards, Manoj Bajpayee shared his excitement about winning the National Award for the fourth time.

In a message posted by Manoj Bajpayee via video, the actor discussed winning the National Film Award and expressed his gratitude for the recognition he has received. The actor said, “When I got it three times, even then my reaction was the same on getting the news of National Award as it is for the fourth time. When I was feeling hopeless, I used to think that if I got this once, my life would become blessed. And today by the grace of the Almighty, I have got it for the fourth time for Gulmohar. So I consider myself a very lucky artist who is getting a National Award for the fourth time.”

The actor also shared that his wife would be attending the National Film Awards for the first time, noting that she hadn't been present during his previous three wins. He mentioned that this makes his achievement even more meaningful. Gulmohar received three awards at the National Film Awards: Best Feature Film in Hindi, Best Screenplay (Dialogues), and a Special Mention (feature film). Directed by Rahul V. Chittella, the film tells the story of a family coming together at their ancestral home one last time before it is torn down to make way for a high-rise building.

The 70th National Film Awards is taking place at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi today. Earlier, celebrities arrived in Delhi to participate in the event. The esteemed award ceremony will begin at 3 PM.

About Gulmohar

Gulmohar tells the story of the Batra family, who come together for one final gathering before their ancestral home, Gulmohar villa, is demolished to make way for a high-rise building. Amidst drinks and ghazals, underlying tensions in their relationships come to light. This prompts the family members to unveil their troubled present and tumultuous past, allowing forgotten memories to resurface, which hold clues to their future and destiny.