Rajkummar Rao wins national award for 'Shahid'

Rajkummar Rao has won the Best Actor award at the 61st National Film Awards for Shahid while director Hansal Mehta marched home with the Best Director award for the same.

Rajkummar Rao says, "I couldn't believe when I heard the announcement.Did I expect it. I hoped for it. But I didn't expect it! Of course there was a lot of acclaim for my performance. But somehow the National award seemed a distant dream. I am most grateful to Hansal Mehta for letting me play this very challenging part. In fact more than me I am happy for Hansal . He has struggled for years to get recognition. Shahid is his triumph through and through."

Rajkummar was shooting for Dolly Ki Doli with Sonam Kapoor when he heard the good news. "My phone hasn't stopped ringing. It feels good. The past year has been really good for me. I was not only part of a film like Shahid I was also a part of Queen , a film that has won immense critical and commercial recognition. Yes, it has been a great year."

His next release Citylights is again directed by Hansal Mehta. Says the ecstatic actor, "I hope Citylights brings a similar success to both of us. I know every film can't be Shahid and every film that we do together won't win us National awards. But we can only try."