‘National Award encourages me for more content-driven films’

Actress Sonam Kapoor, who has been named for the National Film Award — Special Mention for Neerja, says the honour is an encouragement for her to do more content-driven movies.

“It feels amazing. I honestly did not expect it,” Sonam told IANS over phone when asked about how she feels about getting the honour.

Asked if a National Award will open more doors for content-driven films for her, Sonam said: “I think I have been doing content-driven films for a couple of years right now, but obviously it (National Award) is an encouragement to doing more of them.”

The 31-year-old actress, who will receive the award in the capital on Wednesday, said it is very important for her.

“It is such a a huge validation for doing a film like Neerja, but at the same time it was more important to make a film like Neerja which spoke about human spirit and compassion. A film like Neerja winning an award says that human spirit and human compassion and kindness at the end of the day should be our purpose,” she said.

Sonam will be accompanied with her father and actor Anil Kapoor and mother Sunita for the event.

“My parents are coming with me. I think they are very excited. I am more happy for them and for Ram (director Ram Madhvani) because I think Ram really wanted me to win the award and I think my parents are very proud,” she added.

Neerja is a biographical thriller film, whose plot centers on the hijacking of a Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 1986. It tells the heroic tale of Neerja Bhanot, an air hostess, who lost her life while saving others. (IANS)