Adil Hussain’s performance in the film Pareeksha has been winning praises, and now it’s getting noticed internationally too. The actor took to social media on October 1 to share the news that he has been awarded Best Actor at the Indo-German Film Week 2020, Berlin.

He tells us why awards have become important to an actor’s career. “We’ve become a market society, and they are sort of a recognition by people in powerful position. For example, a critic, who you trust would say ‘this is a good film, watch it’. Then producers also are eager to cast you, and you start getting roles you dreamt of, well-written and nuanced,” he says.

However, on whether Bollywood cares about international recognitions, Hussain says, “I don’t think they care much, otherwise I would have been the lead of so many films. I am not sure, but I am probably the only actor in India who has received the National Award of another country, the Norwegian National Award, and then Kosmorama, given and voted by the Scandinavian film fraternity for the same role, in What Will People Say. I was the only actor in India, that should have given me (opportunities), but it didn’t.” The 56-year-old adds his Hollywood agent gets enquiries from people who’ve seen the film.

As for Oscar winners, music composer A R Rahman and sound designer Resul Pookutty, saying they had trouble finding work in Bollywood after the award, he says, “I’ve heard those stories, but haven’t received an Oscar, so I don’t know. In the independent film market, films not only depend on the Indian, but also the world market. It definitely plays an important part when you get an award.”