Paresh Rawal accepts ‘gandagi’ happens during National Awards; recalls losing award to Mammootty due to ‘aggressive lobbying’: ‘Khel khela jata hai’

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He was naturally on the seventh sky. However, when he returned to Delhi, he learned that he was being given only one award — for Sir, and not for Sardar. Trying to get clarity, he asked filmmaker Ketan Mehta, critic Khalid Mohamed, director Shyam Benegal, and politician T. Subbarami Reddy what had gone wrong. Surprisingly, even Ketan Mehta was unsure about the decision. But then, Paresh recalled, Subbarami Reddy said, “You people didn’t lobby. We did hard lobby… aggressive lobby… and Mammootty got it.” He admitted he was stunned. Sardar released in the year 1993; the award for Best Actor in 1994 went to Mammootty for Vidheyan and Ponthan Mada.

Elaborating further on the state of National Awards in the country, Paresh said, “Mujhe Modi sahab ki government me nahi mila hai (award) 2013 me mila hai. Vo government ka award hai. National award ki main qadr karta hoon. National award me kabhi kabhi kya hota hai, technicalities – kisi ne bheji nahi thi film. Vo sab gandgi hoti hai. Khel khela jata hai. Lobby toh hoti hai… dabbakar hoti hai… sir jab Oscar mein hoti hai… toh yeh kya hai (I have not received the award during Modi government but I got it in 2013. I respect this award. But it has technicalities, like no one sent the film. There is a mess, people play games. Lobbying happens… it happens aggressively… if it can happen at the Oscars, then why not here)?” Despite the let-down, he said he doesn’t hold grudges about awards anymore — because for him, real recognition comes from his peers. “Meri life mein award kya hai ki Naseer bhai raat ko 11:30–12 baje phone karenge Mumbai Meri Jaan dekh kar… ‘Paresh, kya perform kiya’… mera pait bhar jaata hai. Ya phir Om Puri saab bole, ‘Aye, kya kaam kiya tune’… pait bhar jaata hai… that’s it, that’s an award (What counts as an award in my life is when Naseer Bhai calls me at 11:30–12 at night after watching Mumbai Meri Jaan and says, ‘Paresh, what a performance’… that fills my heart. Or when Om Puri says, ‘Hey, what brilliant work you did’… that’s enough for me. That’s an award).”