The National award for Best Director for Hansal Mehta is huge vindication for this enormously talented director.

On hearing the announcement of the honour Hansal said, `I am glad I won the National award for Shahid and not for any other film. Shahid has changed my life. Making this film about this fearless lawyer has made me fearless. I don't think about any external cirsumstannce any more. I'll just make the films that I want to. My life is now sharply divided into two halves. What came before and what will come after Shahid.`

Hansal is doubly delighted that his leading man Rajkummar Rao won the National award for best actor for Shahid. `I feel my son has won the gold medal in the school sports.I don't think I'd have been this proud if I had won the National award, and not Raj. Shahid is a joint triumph for us.`

The filmmaker who began his directorial career with Jayate in 1997 says he has no time to celebrate his triumph. `I want to host a party with Raj. But I am busy with the post-production of Citylights which again stars Rajkummar Rao. I'm pleading with my producer Mukesh Bhatt to give me one day off so we can celebrate.`

Ends Hansal, `It's been a lomg hard struggle for me. I never expected Shahid to become so big. It has changed many lives including mine.`