Surat filmmaker bags Dada Saheb Phalke Academy Award

Gangani,who owns Gangani Film Production Pvt. Ltd,started his film journey by writing scripts and then editing before he plunged into direction and production in 1989. His first Gujarati feature film as writer,lyricist,producer and director,Man sayba ni mediye,which had Gujarati actors and was released in 1999,went on to become a silver jubilee hit. It also won seven state awards in Gujarat.

His another Gujarati film Maiyar ma mandu nathi lagtu,released in 2001,turned out to be a golden jubilee hit and bagged 11 state awards. In 2003,he made Mandvda ropavo mana raj,which bagged nine state awards.

Main to palvade Bandhi prit released in 2005 also marked silver jubilee in cinema theatres and bagged 17 state awards in Gujarat.

Gangani’s other films include Maiyar ma mandu nathi lagtu part-II (2008) and Mara rudiye rangana tame saajna (2010),which got Transmedia and Reliance awards.

Gangani has also worked as writer,director and producer in a Gujarati television serial Kariyavar,telecast on Zee TV Gujarati in 2006-2007 in 270 episodes. It won seven awards.

Hailing from Talaja taluka in Bhavnagar district,Gangani came to Surat in 1973 in search of a job. During spare time,he started writing short stories,a hobby that later turned into his vocation.

“It is the matter of pride for Gujarat that someone from the the Gujarati film industry has been chosen for the honour. I thank God for this. I have worked hard. I am also working on a couple of Hindi movies and will try my luck there. Even if I get success in Bollywood,I will continue making Gujarati films,” Gangani told The Indian Express.

On the best film of his home production Maiyar ma mandu nathi lagtu,Gangani said,“This film has been remade in Oriya and Bengali in partnership with Rajshree Productions. Bengal and Orissa governments gave me awards for the best script writer. My dream is make a film in Hindi or Gujarati and get an Oscar award.”