Sanjay Leela Bhansali, after getting National Award for best director for the third time for his epic saga “Bajirao Mastani”, said it was an honour for his dream project.
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who was on Monday (March 28) conferred the National Award for best director for the third time for his epic saga “Bajirao Mastani”, after “Black” and “Devdas”, said it was an honour for his dream project that was kept on hold for 12 years.
Also read: 63rd National Film Awards: Complete List of Winners
“I have received National Awards for ‘Black’ and ‘Devdas’, but this award is really very special for me. In my entire journey of 25 years, I never sensed this much of satisfaction. It feels like now I am getting the right result for my work,” he said at a press conference.
Also read: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: We are proud that Paa, Amitabh Bachchan, won the National Award
Bhansali, who began his career as an assistant to Vidhu Vinod Chopra, spoke about his struggling days.
“When I worked for Vidhu Chopra, there was an uncertainty whether I would be getting an opportunity to direct movies. Therefore, receiving a National Award was far from my thoughts. However, I aspired to reach that level. I wanted to make films which should make a mark on the audience’s mind.”
Also read: National awards 2016 winners Kangana, Bhansali, Kabir Khan in celebratory mode
“From ‘Khamoshi’ to ‘Bajirao Mastani’, it has been a long and fun-filled journey for me. Moreover, in these 25 years, I have seen love, hatred, success, failure and criticism. It is a complete career for me,” the 53-year-old filmmaker said.
Along with best director, “Bajirao Mastani” also earned five other awards — best supporting actress for Tanvi Azmi, best choreography for Remo D’Souza, best cinematography, production design and re-recording.
