The National Award
The date 31 December is of major significance for cinema in India. Unless cleared by the censor board by that date, a film is not considered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the National Awards for that year. Sara Aakash received its certificate on 31 December surely with the National Award in mind. As would N.C. Sippy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee hurry to get Anand certified on 31 December 1970 a year later. Apart from the prestige factor, National Awards added to the commercial clout of the film and also helped in getting it selected for exhibition in festivals in India and abroad.
Unfortunately, unlike Bhuvan Shome, Sara Aakash, in the absence of abstract elements and compounded by the failure to get a distributor for over a year, did not catch the eye of the literati then. Reviews were rare. Applause, if any, remained confined to the select few who managed the see the film with great difficulty in some small auditorium. Press conferences were limited, though Basu had arranged one in a well-known hotel then (as per Nandita Thakur, at the Taj Intercontinental, now the Taj Mahal Tower), after which one review by Mohan S. Bawa published in the Sunday Standard on 27 September 1970 said:
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Grazia India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Grazia India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The 'Science-Ification' Of Skincare
With pseudoscience slowly but steadily seeping into the core of skincare, how can one separate fact from fiction?
FASHION'S NEW ALT STARS
Is luxury fashion looking in new direction of celebrities for representation and relatability?
48 HOURS IN DUBAI
Need a fun getaway but short on time? We share the ideal 48-hour itinerary to experience the best that Dubai has to offer
HOMAGE TO OLD DELHI
How will a changing Shahjahanabad, on whose horizon lurks a revolution, change the fate of a princess?
Back Again
As Panchayat’s new season releases and Kota Factory’s next chapter is almost here, actor Jitendra Kumar delves into details about his decade-long journey, his loyal fan following, and what to expect
GET THE SCOOP
It's thandai, or your favourite mithai, but it's a creamy ice cream. Why are artisanal brands bringing more and more Indian spices, ingredients, and flavours into their menus?
LA DOLCE VITA IN A BOTTLE
As Bvlgari Parfums launches its latest fragrance that encapsulates the freshness of Italian summer in a bottle, master perfumer Jacques Cavallier shares details on his vision, focus, and on the importance of understanding fragrance
NOT SO BENIGN
A vaccine preventing cervical cancer has been around since 2008. Why are we still in the dark about it?
ANARCHY Of BEAUTY
Exploring the art of make-up and its contribution in building an alter-ego with the coolest drag stars
THREE ON THREE
Are recent on-screen representations finally opening wholesomeness of a threesome? our society up to the