It's a benchmark award
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After the Best Screenplay award, Abhijat Joshi is aware of his responsibilities.
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ECSTATIC: Abhijat Joshi.
The U.S.-based co-winner of the Best Screenplay writer AbhijatJoshi can scarcely contain his joy at the acknowledgement of his work in "Lage Raho Munnabhai".
"I am completely thrilled and very, very glad to have won my first National Award for `Lage Raho.' We have won other awards for the film but, without belittling them, the National Award was always the benchmark."
In a telephonic conversation, Abhijat talks about how it all started. "We were keen that we should make a very good film. There was high pressure since `Munnabhai MBBS' had done so well.
But we never wanted to play to the
gallery. As far as projecting the Mahatma
is concerned, we were convinced
that it could not be offensive because
we had this sense of awe, love and respect
for him that would have nullified
everything else.."
Difficulties
"It was by far the most difficult project I have undertaken. It took two
years of solid writing. Then there were
difficult scenes like the one about sending
flowers. The radio sequence where
we had to create a scene to make it look
convincing. Or the one about the pensioner
stripping in the office. Or the
man who spits and the man who cleans.
We had a seven montage and, like a
symphony that ends on a crescendo, we
wanted to end on a high note. These
were all make or break scenes. I am glad
we were able to pull it off."
But Abhijat is not through. Working
on the third part of the series, "Munnabhai
Chale Amerika" besides another
one with Hirani, he admits, "With
such response, there also comes a responsibility.
A script and screenplay of
such stature deserves a certain quality
in every succeeding thing."
Indeed. So, lage raho, Abhijat bhai!
Z.U.S.
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