Bhansali’s ‘Gangubai…’ Triumphs with 5 National Film Awards

Good cinema gets acknowledged and a pat on the back from a respectful jury always brings joy, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali said after his lavishly-mounted period biopic “Gangubai Kathiawadi” won five National Film Awards, including best actress honour for Alia Bhatt.
Bhansali won two awards — for best screenplay writer (adapted) along with Utkarshini Vashishtha and best editing for the film. The film’s other awards were for best dialogue writer for Vashishtha and Prakash Kapadia and best make-up artist for Preetisheel Singh D’souza. “I’m happy for everybody who has won, my film and other films, and everybody, who has won. Good cinema gets acknowledged and a pat on the back from the government, and nationally and from a respectful jury, it always brings you joy,” Bhansali
‘’Gangubai Kathiawadi’’, which had its world premiere at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, was adapted from a chapter in Hussain Zaidi’s book “Mafia Queens of Mumbai”. The magnum opus featured Bhatt in the title role of Gangubai, one of the most powerful, loved and respected courtesan from Kamathipura during the 1960s.
Bhansali said he is glad that Alia won her maiden National Film Award for a film that he directed. ‘’I just spoke to her and told her, ‘Here was a girl, who said, ‘Sir do you see me in this role, I don’t know, I’m very nervous.’ Now, she is walking away with the National Award and I said to her, ‘Thank God, your first National Award is with me’.