Lage Raho Munnabhai takes it all

Lage Raho Munnabhai wins four National Awards in categories which included Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment, Best Screenplay (Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijaat Joshi), Best Lyrics (Swanand Kirkire) and the Best Supporting Actor (Dileep Prabhawalkar)

An exhilarated Vidhu Vinod Chopra adds, "It is a wonderful surprise. What makes me happy is that it is a great inspiration for newcomers and fresh talented people who have a fire in their belly to make a mark in this industry. Abhijaat Joshi (screenplay) and Swanand Kirkire's (lyricist) work getting acknowledged makes Raju and me very proud." After four prestigious awards and world recognition, even Rajkumar Hirani cannot stay shut. "I am happy that a film based on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi wins the award for wholesome entertainment. It is a big achievement for my team and me. My associates, Abhijaat Joshi, and Swanand Kirkire's awards make this moment even greater," expresses Hirani.

The music and lyrics have been a revelation in itself. "I might be the one who has won the award but this was a collaborative and collective piece of work. I am grateful to Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Shantanu Moitra for bringing out the best in me and and for creating the atmosphere where one can strive for excellence," says an exhilarated Swanand Kirkire.

Apart from Lage Raho Munnabhai, Vishal Bhardwaj won the Special Jury Award for Omkara, Madhur Bhandarkar won The Best Director Award for Traffic Signal, Kabir Khan won The Best Debutante Director for Kabul Express and Konkona Sen Sharma won The Best Supporting Actress award for Omkara.

So here's a round of applause for all the winners and their achievements.