Two years after playwright Feroz Abbas Khan,50,made his foray into commercial cinema with the thought provoking Gandhi My Father,he learnt that he has been awarded two National Awards for Best Screenplay and a Special Jury Mention Award for Best Film. It was a pleasant surprise. The distribution ceremony will happen only by December, he says. The prizes were announced at the Entertainment Society of Goa,yesterday.
Right now Khan is busy with rehearsals for the revised version of his play,Salesman Ramlal,which he directed for the stage in 1999. I want to revive the play and make it suitable to the current context, he says. A third award for his film was announced for Best Supporting Actor by Darshan Jariwalla,who portrayed Gandhis character. Even though these awards are an honour,the 2007 Asia-Pacific Screen Awards for Best Screenplay are dearer to me. Since I was competing with scriptwriters from different nations like Australia and Singapore, he adds.
Khan was in the running for the top honours with films like SRKs Chak De and Aamir Khans Taare Zameen Par,which eventually got awarded in different categories. The film was based on Khans 1997 play Mahatma vs Gandhi,which explores the estranged relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his eldest son Harilal. He is hesitant to commit on when if ever,hell return to films though he says he has two screenplays ready. Were waiting.
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