Remo D’Souza on National Award: ‘Sarkari naukri na sahi, sarkari award hi sahi’

Proud', 'nervous', 'complete', 'special' - at the ceremony on Tuesday, this year's National Award winners described how this sarkari recognition made them feel.

I feel complete after this award: Remo D'Souza

The choreographer, who received the award for best choreography for Bajirao Mastani, said that he has won many awards so far, but the National Award is a lot more special to him. He dedicated this win to his father and said, "I feel complete after winning the National Award. I feel very proud. My father always wanted me to get a government job, he wanted me to get into the airforce, but sarkari naukri na sahi, sarkari award zaroor mil gaya. This one is specially for my dad. I got associated with Bajirao Mastani much later and Sanjay Leela Bhansali was very clear about what he wanted, so it was very easy for me. Jo jo instructions mile thay maine wohi kiya. But I did a lot of research as it was not just any other choreography. Since it was a period film and the characters were known, we had to choreograph keeping in mind ki kahin se koi uth ke yeh na bol de ki aisa to kabhi kuch hua nahi tha."

Getting ready for award shows is stressful:

Ritika Singh Dressed in a blue long dress, actress Ritika Singh looked nervous as she entered. The actress received a special mention for the Tamil version of Saala Khadoos, Irudhi Suttru.

She said that it is one of the many "brilliant firsts" that's happening to her. "This is my first National Award for my first film. I had never acted before, I was a boxer and then I got the chance of acting in this film called Saala Khadoos, but I am getting an award for its Tamil version. I am very excited, as it is my first award and that too the National Award. It is a huge honour and I am nervous. Even getting ready for the ceremony was quite stressful. I took one-and-a-half hours to get ready and I am not used to it. It is very difficult for me to sit in one place and get my makeup done," she said.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan is not only about India and Pakistan, it is also about borders within: Kabir Khan

Kabir Khan's film Bajrangi Bhaijaan won the best popular film for providing wholesome entertainment award. The director said that along with winning the National award, he is happy about the fact that the film won love from all over the world. "It did incredibly well at the box office, and getting the National award makes the journey very special. I can't ask for anything more," he said. Kabir shared that more than about India and Pakistan, the film was about barriers that exist within our society. He said, "Unfortunately, the hostility between India and Pakistan is something that's constantly going on, but for me Bajrangi Bhaijaan is not only about India and Pakistan, it is also about the borders within. The first half of the film talks about how communities within India look at each other, the stereotypes that we have about each other. I am so happy that a film like this, which actually spoke about how these barriers are artificial and ultimately only love prevails, won the hearts of people."

When the filmmaker was asked about the incident when he was heckled by a group of men at the Karachi airport recently, he said, "We should not blow that incident out of proportion. The kind of love and acceptance I received in Pakistan was exceptional and just a few people standing and shouting at the Karachi airport should not mar that experience. We should not put the responsibility of some lunatics on the whole country. I think it was planned, they wanted to create a spectacle, the moment they took out their mobile phones I knew they wanted to create tamasha. Nothing about my one-day conference was reported but everyone reported about that incident. Those people wanted attention, they got it. The more we ignore these people, the better it is. Koi aadmi joota haath me lekar chillayega to log dekhenge lekin in logon ko ignore karna chahiye."