Was in tears: Ravi on 'Mom' Sridevi bagging best actress at 65th National Film Awards

The much-awaited National Film Awards have been declared. Like a befitting tribute, the winner of the Best Actress is the late Sridevi, who continues to live in the hearts of her fans.

In fact, deciding on the winner for this particular award was tough. Malayalam actress Asha Sarath was the top choice for best actress. However, sentimentality prevailed and Sridevi, who passed away in February, was given this award posthumously for her farewell performance as a mother fighting for justice for her raped daughter in Mom.

Delighted with the news, Sri’s family sent out a joint statement: “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 also 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. We thank the Government of India, the Hon’ble Jury Members for this honour. We also take this opportunity to thank all our friends and her fans who have been sending us congratulatory messages.”

“I was in tears when I got this news. Being a first time director and having gotten the chance to work with someone like Sridevi, is an award in itself. And this, is just an icing on the cake,” says director Ravi Udyawar.

— With inputs from Uma Ramasubramanian