The News18 Showsha Reel Awards that took place on March 9 (Saturday) was a star-studded affair. The event honoured some of the best of content and talents across cinema and the OTT space. Apart from the audience that received the opportunity to vote for their favourite stars, an esteemed panel of jurors also went through the nominations and zeroed down on the winners. The jury comprising of Prasson Joshi, Aanand L Rai, Neeraj Ghaywan, Kabir Bedi, Meenakshi Sheshadri and Tavishi Paitandy selected Sharmila Tagore as the Best Actor (Female) for her stellar act in Gulmohar.
Gulmohar, a family drama that was released last year, marked Tagore’s return to the screens after 13 years after Break Ke Baad. It won her wide critical acclaim for her sensitive portrayal of a matriarch of a family who’s revealed to be queer. Speaking to us exclusively following her big win, she said, “Well, I don’t quite look at it as a comeback or a re-start. But playing Kusum in Gulmohar was a wonderful experience. I would like to thank Rahul V Chittella. It was his thought. I got to work with a wonderful cast – Manoj Bajpayee, Amol Palekar, Simran, Utsavi Jha, Kaveri Seth, Suraj Sharma and Chandan Roy."
Speaking about how the film has left a lasting impression on the minds of cine lovers, she shared, “Even one year on, there’s so much recall of the film and appreciation of it. It has worked across all generations and crossed all boundaries. It’s a very special film indeed. The film is not just mine; it’s a collaborative effort. Everybody has really liked the queer aspect of it as well including my wink in the end."
Tagore’s Kusum being a queer character was much talked about upon the release of the film. And she feels rather proud for essaying a part like that which broke the glass ceiling. “OTT platforms had normalised queer love much more than theatrical films had. So, we had that advantage. Everything has worked very well and I’m absolutely thrilled about winning this award. The jury has worked so hard and they’re some of the most eminent people. Everybody – right from Prasoon Joshi to Meenakshi Sheshadri – has such good judgment! This award feels like a great honour since it has also come from them," she grinned.
Tagore also spoke of her family members – Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sara Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu – who has helped her stay updated with the functioning of the film industry in recent times. “Filmmaking, today, is so much easier and there’s so much comfort there. In our times, we didn’t have the money or the ease. My family appreciates what we’ve done. They love our old films and the songs – some of which no longer exists now. There’s mutual admiration and appreciation. It’s wonderful that we belong to the same profession. Through them, I got a hang of today’s challenges. Talking to them helps me stay young," she remarked.
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