Winning first Filmfare Award for 'Chutney' extra special for Tisca

Mumbai :  Popular actress Tisca Chopra says winning her first Filmfare Award for short film "Chutney" is "extra special" as it's a project she not just acted in, but also produced and co-wrote.

Tisca was named Best Actress for "Chutney" at the Jio Filmfare Short Film Awards.

Talking about the victory, she told IANS via email: "It's heartening to see that films that have no godfather or a big studio supporting them are also picked by a firm and fair jury. Filmfare is big... Huge, infact. It's synonymous with the history of Indian cinema.

"There are many fabulous performances over the years that have been highlighted and given a longer life by this most prestigious of awards. But what makes this extra special is that I am winning my first Filmfare for 'Chutney' which produced and co-wrote. Thank you for the award, this one is for keeps."

This year, the 62nd Jio Filmfare Awards introduced a new category 'Jio Filmfare Short Film Awards', where among 45 nominations, "Chutney" bagged two awards. It was also chosen as Best Film (Fiction).

"Chutney" director Jyoti Kapur Das said: "Filmfare was the first and the only award we ever knew of, growing up. To be able to walk the classic red carpet is a dream this hard-core brought-up-on-Hindi-films kid had. It's overwhelming that my dream is coming true."

Set in Delhi, the film's story is about a middle-class family where Tisca plays a deglamourised woman with an extraordinary mind. 

In reference to her character, Tisca said: "Winning for a character that is the opposite of 'heroine material' is what shows me that Filmfare is really looking at the art of acting in a bold and modern way."

Talking about the film, Das said: "'Chutney' is a film made without any agendas. I didn't expect it to go so viral or to win awards. I just wanted to tell a story engagingly."

The main ceremony of the 62nd Jio Filmfare Awards 2017, hosted by superstar Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Karan Johar, will take place on Saturday night at NSCI Dome here.-IANS