The winners of the 70th National Film Awards have been announced, and this year, Rahul V. Chittella’s 2023 movie Gulmohar starring Manoj Bajpayee and Sharmila Tagore has been named as the Best Hindi Film.
A few hours after the movie’s big win, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, who played Kusum Batra in the film, interacted with WION’s Pragati Awasthi. Expressing her happiness and gratitude, the veteran actress recalled her shooting days and praised Bajpayee’s exceptional performance as she revealed that she was initially worried about playing a gay character on screen.
Sharing that she was just sitting down to lunch when she got to know about the film’s win, Tagore said, ”I was absolutely over the moon, because we enjoyed working in this film so much. We got along with each other so much. We were shooting during Covid in Delhi. So, it became very personal, because nobody was coming from home. Everybody was in the hotel. We had so much fun during the shoot. So, it became like a family. It is like a collective experience, a collective feeling of joy that we are experiencing.”
Further praising director Rahul V Chittella, the veteran actor said that he was not the only reason why she said yes to the movie.
”He [Rahul] was so sensitive when he narrated the script. I liked him and wanted to work with him. I could see his passion and he has been so particular about everything, from editing to the music. So, in each aspect of filmmaking, he was personally involved. And his hard work has paid off. It was a pleasure to act in this film.”
Gulmohar marked Tagore’s return to acting after 13 years, and in the movie, she played a gay character. When asked if she had any apprehension before saying yes to the role, the actress admitted she was worried whether the audience would accept her character or not.
”I didn’t hesitate, but yes, I just thought that I had been working for so many years. There is a specific kind of image that I have. I was worried if the audience would accept me. When I say that, will they put off or will reject this? But, they didn’t. Everybody in the younger generation is like that. And in fact, also the older generation, but I think OTT platforms have kind of regularized or made it seem more natural. It’s more accepted, time has moved on. It’s no longer the time when I was working when I was young. People have moved on; the audience is different. So, they have accepted it. But, yes, I wondered if it was a hesitation. But the entire script and Rahul’s commitment worked. So I said, no, I’m not going to say no to this film, and will take my chances. And thank God, it paid off!”
Three-time National Award winner Manoj Bajpayee earned a special mention from the jury for his performance as Arun Batra in the movie. Appreciating Bajpayee’s performance, the actress said, ”He was very good, he kept us all together in the film. I think everyone’s character was very well defined and very well-articulated. The dialogues were so good, the cinematography was good, and the locations was so correct. And Manoj, of course, he’s is a wonderful actor, he has given wonderful performances even before. But, in this film he was exceptional.”