It was touching to see Boney Kapoor usher his sari-clad daughters Janhvi and Khushi onstage to receive the National award conferred posthumously on their beloved Sridevi. They accepted the award from President Kovind at a solemn ceremony at the Vigyan Bhawan.
Sridevi had been adjudged Best Actress for her performance in the film MOM. A revenge thriller, it was ironically Sridevi's last and 300th film.
Speaking about the honour conferred on his late wife, Boney had declared, “An artist always looks for an honourable honour and there cannot be a bigger honour than National Awards.” He also added emotionally, “Sridevi would have been very happy today. We miss her, it is a very proud moment at the same time.”
Yesterday evening Boney Kapoor and their daughters had attended the rehearsals for the presentation ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan. Boney had emphasised that Sri would have been “happy, very happy being here”. He added that they were elated and proud that she had been recognised for the hard work she had put into the film.
During his address, President Kovind mentioned the late Sridevi as well as Dadasaheb Phalke award winner Vinod Khanna, saying, “We miss them today and we will miss them forever. Their films like Lamhe and Mere Apne captured not only the box office but also the minds of the audience. When Vinod Khanna and Sridevi passed away, for millions of film lovers the loss seemed personal. Their fans and followers could be found all over the country, in every state and region. This is the beauty of cinema. Our film industry unites us as few others do.”
After the National Film Awards were announced in April, Sridevi's family had released a statement thanking the jury. "We are overjoyed to know that the jury has conferred the best actor award to Sridevi for her performance in MOM. It's a very special moment for all of us. She was always a perfectionist and it showed in all the 300 plus films she did. She was not just a super actor but a super wife and a super mom. It's time to celebrate her life and her achievements. She is not with us today but her legacy will always live on,” the statement read.
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