Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Mukti Bhawan is the best film.
The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) has announced 2017’s winners list and Konkona Sen Sharma has been named best director and best actress.
The 37-year-old Sharma won the best actress award for her performance in Alankrita Srivastava’s Lipstick Under My Burkha, while she was awarded the best director for her directorial debut, A Death in the Gunj.
The NYIFF announced the list of this year’s winner through its official twitter handle.
“#NYIFF2017 Awards Winner Best Actress is @konkonas @chhabs @aroonshiv,” NYIFF tweeted.
#NYIFF2017 Awards Winner Best Actress is @konkonas @chhabs @aroonshiv
— New York Indian Film Festival (@nyindianff) May 8, 2017
“#NYIFF2017 Awards winners Best Director is konkona SenSharma @konkonas @chhabs @aroonshiv,” another tweet read.
The award for the best film went to Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Mukti Bhawan and K. Kaladharan won the best actor award for Malyalam film Ottayal Paatha (“A Narrow Path”).
An Insignificant Man was selected as the best documentary and Malayalam film Kammatipaadam, was recognized for best screenplay. Aaba, was declared the best short film at the festival.
Konkona Sen Sharma posted a picture of her awards on Instagram and wrote “Good Bye New York”.
Lipstick Under My Burkha, which was the opening film in the festival, earlier denied a certificate for theatrical release from India’s Central Board of Film Certification for being “female oriented.” The film revolves around four Indian women, from ages 18 to 55 – a burqa-clad college girl, a young beautician, a mother of three and an aging widow – living in a small town who assert their personal and sexual rights.
Sen Sharma’s directorial venture, A Death in the Gunj, is a drama thriller starring Kalki Koechlin, Vikrant Massey, Jim Sarbh, Tanuja and Om Puri in key roles.
The festival’s best film Mukti Bhawan is based on relationships and family written and directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani. The film stars Adil Hussain and Lalit Behl in the lead roles.
The 17th NYIFF, presented by the Indo-American Arts Council, took place from April 30 to May 7 at the Village East Cinemas near Union Square.
(Correction: A previous version of the post had incorrectly stated the venue.)