Divya Kaushik and Abhimanyu Mathur (BOMBAY TIMES; August 11, 2019)

BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT
Badhaai Ho

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Surekha Sikri for Badhaai Ho

Junglee Pictures’ Badhaai Ho has won multiple accolades at the 66th National Film Awards. Not only did the film win the National Award for the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, but Surekha Sikri, who played the character of Ayushmann’s grandmother, also won the Best Supporting Actress award.

Badhaai Ho was a comical take on the sensitive subject of parental pregnancy and earned over `200 crore at the box office, garnering popular appreciation as well as critical acclaim. Elated by the recognition that the film has received, producer of the film and Times Group MD Vineet Jain, says, “Junglee Pictures has always believed in telling impactful stories in the most engaging manner. This recognition, in the form of a National Award, is truly gratifying. I am proud of the team for putting together such a delightful yet meaningful film.”

DISTINCTION BETWEEN OFFBEAT AND COMMERCIAL DOESN’T EXIST ANYMORE: AMIT SHARMA
The film’s director Amit Sharma sees the win as a validation of the entire team’s hard work. “It is a validation of what I set out to do — make a family film on a subject that some would consider offbeat. Five years ago, people would have called it an offbeat film, but this award proves that films are films. The distinction between offbeat and commercial does not exist anymore,” he says.

He also says the news came as a pleasant surprise. “Expectation waise toh har cheez se hoti hai, but honestly, I hadn’t expected this. God has been really kind and I’m happy that people have loved the film. The critics and the jury have loved it, too. It’s really overwhelming. The business a film does is important, but at the same time, the awards are important, too. When I first heard the news, I couldn’t control my emotions and was completely silent for the first two to three minutes. It means a lot. It is a very big recognition. The news hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

He adds, “I’m feeling a sense of happy pressure right now. I’m on the verge of starting my next film with Ajay Devgn, a biopic on Syed Abdul Rahim, in a few days from now. All I can say is that I will never lose sight of my story and script ever. Experiences like Badhaai Ho teach you to believe in your thoughts and ideas wholeheartedly. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t desire a National Award. I was talking to Surekha Sikri ji after her name was announced as I was happy for her. She told me, ‘Beta, tujhe bhi milega. Yakeen rakh khud par.’ And in minutes, I got a call saying that the film had won the award for the Best Popular Film that provides wholesome entertainment,” he says.

Amit continues, “I thank Mr Vineet Jain for collaborating with us. We are creative people and we want each one of our works to succeed, find commercial and critical acceptance. The response of the audience was phenomenal, which also underlines the fact that a film is not big or small anymore; it’s about how good it is. I knew I was running a risk to keep the film’s focus on the senior set of actors and not the young guns, but that was the only way to stay true to the story. The audience has changed and the credit for our win must also go to them.”

The director also praises his cast — Ayushmann Khurrana, Neena Gupta, Sanya Malhotra and Gajraj Rao — for their role in making the film so memorable. But he reserves the most praise for Surekha Sikri, who won the Best Supporting Actress award for her portrayal of the grandmother in the film. “I’m so happy for her. It is a well-deserved honour for her,” says an elated Amit.


MUJHE BAHUT MAZAA AAYA ISS FILM MEIN KAAM KARKE: SUREKHA SIKRI
Surekha Sikri, who won her third National Award for the much-loved portrayal of the grandmother in the film, was overjoyed at the recognition. She says, “Badhaai Ho is a special film and everyone who worked to make the film a huge success deserves to be congratulated today. It was a well-written film with characters that every family in India can relate to. Mujhe bahut mazaa aaya iss film mein kaam karke and the best part is that the audience appreciated the way it was written.”

“I am thankful to the film’s team, especially director Amit Sharma, for giving me a chance to be a part of such a special film. I am really happy and overwhelmed that people think I am worthy and deserving of this honour,” she adds.

Ayushmann Khurrana, the film’s lead star, is all praise for the director and his creative team. The actor says, “With Badhaai Ho, I took up a taboo topic because I believed that people would be okay to see this kind of cinema. I’m glad that a film like Badhaai Ho won big and I congratulate my director Amit Sharma for his breakthrough script that became a talking point in every household.”

BADHAAI HO HAS ALL THE NAVRASAS: NEENA GUPTA
The cast of the film says that Badhaai Ho has proved to be one of those rare movies in today’s times that earn love and praise from all sections of the audience. “I think Badhaai Ho totally deserves this honour. I have not heard even one person criticise the film, which is very rare,” says Neena Gupta, who played the character of Priyamvada, the film’s female lead.

The actress says the best part of Badhaai Ho was that it touched the hearts of the audiences with a simple and realistic story. “Badhaai Ho has all the navrasas. Natya Shastra says ki natak hamesha sukhant hone chahiye. So, Badhaai Ho was the combination of all the navrasas and had a happy ending. It was the simplicity of the film that won the audiences’ hearts,” she says.

Neena further says she is especially happy for Surekha Sikri. “Woh hamari guru rahi hain. We used to learn from her and we have always looked up to her,” she adds.

STORY AGAR ACCHI HAI TOH WOH DOOR TAK JAATI HAI: GAJRAJ RAO
Gajraj Rao, who played Neena Gupta’s husband in the film, adds, “Story agar acchi hai toh woh door tak jaati hai. It has been 10 months since the film released, but even today, its warmth hasn’t diminished. Everywhere I travel, people treat me with reverence and warmth because I was a part of this film. I am so thankful to the jury for recognising it.”

Before the film had released last year, Ayushmann Khurrana had told us, “Badhaai Ho will be a case study for sure. I mean, it’s talking about a social taboo like middle-age pregnancy. If it achieves that mark of big commercial success and critical acclaim, I think it’s a huge victory.”

Now, with its National Awards success, the film seems to have achieved that victory.