'Mukti Bhawan' wins Best Film at NYIFF

"Mukti Bhawan", a movie about a man who accompanies his father on a journey to Varanasi, has won the Best Film at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF). The makers say this appreciation has multiplied the joy of winning a Special Mention at the National Film Awards.

NYIFF was held in New York April 30-May 7.

Talking about the win, producer Sanjay Bhutiani said in a statement: "Every appreciation coming our way matters. The fact that this is our first venture, being awarded the best film across the globe and nationally, means a lot to us. Having won a Special Mention at the National Awards, obviously made us happy and now NYIFF has multiplied that, making us ecstatic."

"NYIFF been known to support films about India and Indian diaspora since 2001, has been actively trying to educate America and Americans about India and its people. To think our film represented our country internationally over again and won, makes us feel very proud," he added.

The film, directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani and featuring Adil Husain and Lalit Behl, revolves around an interesting relationship between a father and son after the former decides to die in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi and his son is forced to join his journey.

The fest also saw Konkona Sen Sharma win two awards -- Best Director for "A Death In The Gunj" and Best Actress for "Lipstick Under My Burkha".

--IANS

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