Gollapudi Srinivas Award presented
Marathi director Paresh Mokashi was presented the 'Gollapudi Srinivas National Award' by actor Rekha for his Harishchandrachi Factory (Marathi), made on Dada Saheb Phalke at a grand function organized by the Gollapudi Srinivas Memorial Foundation in Chennai on Wednesday.
Mokashi was selected from 19 nominees across the country by a jury consisting of Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Kalyanaraman and Gollapudi Maruthi Rao.
Presented in the memory of director Gollapudi Srinivas, who passed away in an accident during the shoot of his maiden venture in 1992, the award is given to a debutant film director every year. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan won the award last year for his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par.
In his acceptance speech, Mokashi said: "All this admiration for me and the spotlight is actually on Dada Saheb Phalke, who made the first full-length feature film in India." Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, who was present during the occasion, delivered a memorial lecture on ‘The past, present and the future of audiography in Indian motion pictures’, emphasizing the role of sound in making the experience of watching films “larger than life”.
Actor Rekha, film makers Nagesh Kukunoor, Rakeysh Mehra singer K.J. Yesudas also spoke during the occasion. Director Rajiv Menon's short film The second innings, vividly depicting the passion of Gollapudi Srinivas, was also screened on the occasion.
