Neeraj Ghaywan's directorial debut Masaan which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, has won two awards, FIPRESCI, International Jury of Film Critics prize, and Promising Future prize in the Un Certain Regard section. Neeraj who assisted Anurag Kashyap on Gangs of Wasseypur and was the second unit director of Ugly, admits he had zero expectations and wasn't expecting a double treat. “I was eager to show the film to a huge audience at the Salle Debussy theatre, that's all,“ he told Mirror from Paris, admitting that he'd later gone partying with the team and bumped into Irene Jacob, the Swiss-born French actress known for The Double Life of Veronique and Three Colours: Red and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen of King Arthur, Casino Royale and The Hunt fame. “It was a memorable night of party hopping, the Croisette and discussing cinema with Mads, one of the most iconic actors of our time.“

Masaan will be released in France on June 24 by Pathe and Neeraj will go back with his actors to promote it. An Indian release is also being planned. “Our film is extremely rooted and I was worried the audience at Cannes wouldn't be able to connect with the culture-specific emotions but there was more than five-minute synchronous clapping at the end. It was one of my greatest highs.“

It took two years to reach the Cannes high and the debutant admits to moments of ecstasy and moments when he was clueless or broke down. “But the honesty and passion of the team made it possible for us to sail through,“ he says, praising the UP government for its support in issuing permissions and offering security.

Like Anurag and other indie filmamkers, does he see himself pursuing a star-centric, mainstream dream too? “The lines are blurring. A great subject, be it with or without stars, interests me,“ he says. “I want to be able to tell rooted stories of our times,“ he signs off.