When we get on a call with Shoojit Sircar a day after his Sardar Udham (2021) bagged five wins at the 69th National Awards, including the Best Hindi Film, the joy in his voice is palpable. And yet, there is also a lingering guilt. The filmmaker dedicates the National Award to his late actor-friend Irrfan Khan, the original choice for the role. “There is some kind of guilt in me that I did not work with him on this. He had also told me to move on. Every day, deep inside me, it hurts. I got the award, but he wasn’t here. The vacuum is still there. It’s not just Sardar Udham, I will dedicate whatever I can to him,” says Sircar.

Irrfan Khan and Shoojit Sircar