‘Shah Rukh sir came and said main toh yeh award pehen raha hun’: Vikrant recalls his BTS moments with King Khan, Rani Mukerji from 71st National Awards

NEW DELHI: The 71st National Film Awards ceremony in Delhi saw several members of the Indian film industry receiving special honours from the Government of India for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields and projects. Since Thursday evening, social media has been abuzz with highlights and memorable moments from the event.

Photos of stars receiving the National Award from President Droupadi Murmu were undoubtedly memorable. Needless to say, the moments that unfolded behind the scenes also managed to captivate cinema lovers.

While dozens of videos made the rounds, it was the clip featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Vikrant Massey that truly stole the netizens’ attention.

In the clip, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Vikrant Massey were seen seated together, helping one another put on their National Award medals.

Recalling that particular moment, Vikrant told ANI, “Childlike is the word…It was so inspiring to see Rani ma’am and Shah Rukh sir still maintain that quality after so much success… When Shah Rukh sir came back and said, ‘Main to yeh award pehen rahaa hu.(I am wearing the medal)’ And both of us said, ‘Haan, humein bhi pehenna hai, par pehen lein?’ Then he said, ‘Haan pehente hain. Kyu nahi?’… We were just helping each other and living that moment.”

Notably, Vikrant and Shah Rukh share the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for their performances in ’12th Fail’ and ‘Jawan’ respectively. Rani won Best Actress in a Leading Role for ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway’.

When asked what was going through his mind as he stepped onto the stage to receive the award, Vikrant quipped that he was just focused on not messing it up.

“Contrary to popular perception you only have 20 to 30 seconds to go, take your award, follow the protocol because of course you know the Honourable President of India. There are certain protocols to be followed. So my entire focus was that I hit the mark. I get a good picture to put it up at home. I take my award, don’t make a fool of myself and just come down. Because I was of course excited but also nervous. So there’s not a lot that goes into your mind. You just have to make sure that you know you follow the protocol. That’s what was going on in my mind at that time,” Vikrant expressed.

With this National Award win, Vikrant finally fulfilled a dream he had long cherished.

“I have said this before that you know when I was 20, 21, when I was leaving for Baroda in the year 2007 to shoot for a TV show which I was doing then, is when this dream started cultivating itself within me. That you know I want to win a national award someday. And for me to actually realise that dream is a wonderful feeling but also at the same time there is this realisation of responsibility. To be better at my work, to be worthy of your time and money, to represent the common man, to be the voice for the voiceless, to entertain but also inform and inspire through this medium,” he said.

“And to respect this medium which has given me so much. So there are a lot of things that one has to evaluate but I think it’s a gradual journey that will probably take its own time. Everything takes its time,” Vikrant added.

Vikrant’s ’12th Fail’ was directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The story revolves around Manoj Kumar Sharma’s journey preparing for the UPSC exam and his struggles. It puts the spotlight on his journey and how his wife, IRS officer Shraddha Joshi, played a crucial role in his rise. Medha Shankr plays a pivotal role in the film. (ANI)