Sharmila Tagore on National Award win for 'Gulmohar': 'If you give the audience a good film which speaks to...'

Legendary actress Sharmila Tagore is over the moon as her comeback movie Gulmohar co-starring Manoj Bajpayee, Simran, Suraj Sharma, Amol Palekar, and Kaveri Seth among others has bagged the National Award for the Best Hindi Film at the 70th National Film Awards.

“I just got the news and I said what a wonderful journey this film has had from the first award to now. It’s been two years, and it’s still being recognised. It all started during COVID and the film had a wonderful journey. I was just sitting down for lunch, and I am so over the moon now. I am happy for Rahul [Rahul V. Chittella, director] because he made a wonderful film. All of us have been recognised and appreciated for this film,” Sharmila told India Today.

She also congratulated Manoj Bajpayee who got special mention and said, “He’s been consistently giving us wonderful films. In ‘ Gulmohar’, there’s a scene between him and Simran (who plays Indu Batra). It’s so beautifully done. It is also well-written, and the whole interaction looks so real. Such a beautiful family [the show has portrayed]. He [Manoj Bajpayee] is beautiful in the film. All of us got an equal share in the film.” She continued, “I am going to call Manoj now and congratulate him.”

Explaining how Gulmohar found appreciation among the audience because of its relevance, she said, “If you give the audience a good film which speaks to them, they will accept it. I am not interested in just anything. I have done a lot. I am not saying it in a very flippant way. My identity is a film actor. I would love to do films. But, at this stage of my life, I certainly want to do films that speak to me, that I am happy working in. From the first day to the last, it was fun all the way working on ‘Gulmohar’. All of us became a family. We meet very regularly. Everybody worked and gave their hearts to the film”