Vijay Ganguly Honored with Best Choreography at 72nd National Film Awards
Vijay Ganguly Receives National Film Award
Renowned choreographer Vijay Ganguly has been recognized with the prestigious 72nd National Film Awards. He will receive the Best Choreography award during a ceremony scheduled for later this year. Ganguly earned this accolade for his work on the hit song Aaj Ki Raat from Stree 2, featuring the talented Tamannaah Bhatia. In a candid interview with Zoom, he expressed his surprise at winning the National Film Award, especially for a song created under challenging weather conditions.
Vijay Ganguly's Reaction to the Award
Vijay shared, “I was in shock for the first five minutes. I had no clue that the National Film Awards were being announced. The thought that my work could reach the National Awards jury seemed far-fetched. My sister sent me a video, and I was out of network coverage. I started receiving messages about Aaj Ki Raat, and it dawned on me that it was related to the National Award. This recognition is incredibly special for anyone in our industry; it truly doesn’t get better than this.”
Significance of Aaj Ki Raat
He elaborated on what made Aaj Ki Raat unique, stating, “This song was special because of the immense effort from everyone involved. We filmed in 5-degree weather, and it was freezing. The crew worked without shoes or shirts, and Tamannaah wore minimal clothing. Despite the harsh conditions, everyone united to bring this song to life. When we saw the final edit, we were thrilled with the outcome. The song turned out to be visually stunning. Each song has its destiny; while everyone strives to create the best, sometimes the work doesn’t reach the audience. However, this song was embraced, with two versions on YouTube each garnering over a million views. Winning such a significant honor in our country is truly remarkable.”
Addressing the Special Songs Debate
When questioned about whether his National Film Award win would change perceptions around special songs, Vijay remarked, “A song is a song. If a male artist performs it, why isn’t it labeled a special song? When stars like Shahid Kapoor or Hrithik Roshan do solo tracks, they aren’t referred to as special songs. This debate has persisted for some time, but art must endure. The discussion about special songs will continue, but it ultimately depends on the execution. If it’s beautifully crafted, it will resonate with audiences.” The National Film Awards will be presented later this year by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in a ceremony in Delhi.