The Indians who did us proud at the New York Film Festival recently are Hansal Mehta won the Best Director for his film, Shahid, Gajendra Ahire's Marathi film, Anumati, won the Best Film award, for which Vikram Gokhale also won the Best Actor award

The best actress award went to Deepti Naval for Listen Amaya.

Vikram says, `There has always been politics in awards whether in India or abroad. However getting appreciation at national and international level is a different thing.`

Though the veteran actor is feeling under the weather these days, he says international awards do not particularly impress him. `Awards are manipulated especially the popular ones.

But this does not mean that I will not work in commercial films. It is my profession and I have to do it. After winning a National award now I will just be careful that I will not accept any other film which has been offered to me,` he states.


Meanwhile Deepti Naval's film Listen Amaya also received accolades in the festival. She says, `I think NRI viewers like to watch subjects handled genuinely. I am feeling satisfied that my film Do Paise Ki Dhoop Char Aane Ki Baarish too won an award abroad and now this film has been received well.

It boosts me to think that whatever I am doing is right. I grew up in New York and the feeling of getting recognition from Indians there is very good. I think I will have to be particular about choice of roles I do and cannot accept anything silly.`