Bengali movies bag honours at 67th National Film Awards

Directors Srijit Mukherjee and Kaushik Ganguly expressed happiness after the Bengali films directed by them got the honours in different categories at the 67th National Awards announced on Monday. While Ganguly's 'Jyeshthoputro' got the crown in the Best Screenplay (Original) and Best Background Music categories, Mukherjee's 'Gumnaami' was selected for the Best Screenplay (Adapted) and the Best Bengali film awards.

With Prosenjit Chatterjee in the lead role, 'Gumnaami' created controversies as it put forth three theories over Netaji Subash Chandra Bose's 'disappearance',

Chatterjee also essayed the character of a superstar who undertakes a journey to his village home in 'Jyeshthoputro'.

Sharing the photo of a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in his Twitter handle, Mukherjee said, "This is our humble offering at your feet, O Supreme Leader. For teaching us to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

Ganguly said he considered the award as a tribute to the late filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh. "Jyeshthoputro is my adaptation and elaboration of the initial idea of Rituparno Ghosh. We are missing Rituda today," he told PTI.

Ganguly, who recently completed shooting of his first Hindi work 'Manohar Pandey', said he is proud that the film fetched the crown in screenplay and background music categories competing with films from all over the country.

"This is an honour for our entire industry," the multiple national award winning director said.

He also felt happy with the twin honours bestowed on Gumnaami. "We share the joy of belonging to the same fraternity in Bengal," Ganguly said.

Prosenjit Chatterjee, who was associated with both the films in lead roles, said, "The news is especially significant during such a time and augurs well for Bengali films."

"While my portrayal of an icon in Gumnaami will be forever etched in my mind, in Jyesthoputro I acted with Ritwik Chakraborty and Kaushik. That will also remain important," he said in a tweet.

"Jyesthoputro has brought some more moments of sheer happiness with its #NationalFilmAwards," he tweeted.

In another post, the actor said, "A recognition like the National Film Award is truly special! Congratulations to Team #Gumnaami."

'Gumnaami' producer Mahendra Soni, Director of SVF Entertainment, said, "The film is definitely one of the very special productions and we had high hopes from it. I would like to congratulate Srijit Mukherji for giving the national audience a film like Gumnaami, that will remain in people's heart for a long time."