CHENNAI: It took journalist-turned-filmmaker Anusha Rizvi exactly a year to win her first ever award in India for her critically acclaimed film Peepli Live.
That was the Gollapudi Srinivas National Award including a cash award of Rs 1.5 lakh presented to her as the best Debutant Director for 2010.
In a glittering event here on Friday, Anusha Rizvi proudly announced this to be her first award in India and went on to say that this award has enriched her in a way that a national award will not.
She stated this even as Guest of honour Filmmaker-musician Vishal Baradwaj revealed that the film was not nominated for the National Award.
Ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam, who presented Anusha the award, said it was silly and ridiculous that a film, which is so touching, honest and impressive, was not sent to the National Awards.
Mani Ratnam also noted that every filmmaker’s first film was special like falling in love for the first time.
He recalled some of film history’s most notable debut works such as Pather Panchali, 16 Vaya thinile and Citizen Kane.