Randeep Hooda has added another milestone to his career as he won the Best Debut Director award at the 72nd National Film Awards for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. The actor, who directed, co-wrote, co-produced and headlined the 2024 biographical drama, reacted to the recognition with a heartfelt statement, describing the honour as a moment he is “still trying to process.”

72nd National Film Awards: Randeep Hooda wins Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, says “I’m still trying to process it”

Sharing his thoughts after the announcement, Randeep said, “Being announced as the winner of the National Award for Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is a moment I’m still trying to process. This film asked more of me than anything I’ve ever done. The journey of this film was filled with challenges at every juncture, but I’m glad we saw it through and overcame each of those. And despite that, somehow we kept finding the strength to move forward.”

The actor went on to speak about the multiple responsibilities he undertook while making the film and the sense of responsibility he felt towards portraying Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s life on screen. “As an actor, co-writer and first-time director, I gave this film everything I had because I felt an immense responsibility towards telling Veer Savarkar’s story with sincerity and honesty. Whatever we endured while making this film is insignificant compared to the life he lived and the sacrifices he made,” he added.

Expressing gratitude to his collaborators, Hooda stated, “I’m deeply grateful to my entire team for believing in this dream and standing by it through every high and low. This recognition belongs to all of us, and I hope it inspires more people, especially the younger generation, to discover and reflect on Veer Savarkar’s legacy.”

Released in theatres on March 22, 2024, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is a Hindi-language biographical drama based on the life of freedom fighter and political thinker Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The film was directed, co-written and co-produced by Randeep Hooda, who also portrayed the titular role. Written by Utkarsh Naithani, the narrative traces Savarkar’s journey from his early years to his role in India’s freedom movement, highlighting key events from his life.

The film received praise for its performances, particularly Hooda’s portrayal of Savarkar, with the actor undergoing a significant physical transformation for the role.

The Best Debut Director honour at the 72nd National Film Awards marks a significant achievement for Hooda, recognising his first outing behind the camera while adding another accolade to Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a film that saw him take on multiple creative responsibilities.

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