71st National Film Awards EXCL | Arjunn Dutta Dedicates Deep Fridge Win To Late Mother: Maa Must Have Pulled Some Strings From Above

Arjunn Dutta is four films old and has managed to win a National Award for Best Bengali Film for Deep Fridge. In the national capital for the prestigious ceremony, the young director took out time for an exclusive

interaction with Zoom where he opened up about his film, what winning a National Award means to him and how does he think the accolade will affect him and his career.“I'm wheelchair bound,” the director confessed over a candid phone call. “I had fallen down and have suffered nerve compression on my hip. I have to get a spine surgery, but I have postponed it owing to this momentous occasion,” he declared.

Dutta, who won the Best Bengali Film National Award for Deep Fridge is on cloud nine. A complex relationship drama akin to the sensibilities of Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, Deep Fridge sees the versatile Abir Chatterjee share screen with Tanushree Chakraborty as a couple who have parted ways but are brought together for a night by chance and fate.Dutta believes winning the National Award for Deep Fridge is like “coming full circle.”

Also Read: Ray And Durga: The Goddess And The Girl In Pather Panchali “I am extremely happy,” the filmmaker shared, adding, “The film premiered at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 2023 as part of the Indian Panorama section, and now it has won a national award.”But winning the national accolade for the film holds a deeper significance for Dutta.“This is also special because I lost my mum. I lost her within a span of few months while I was shooting Deep Fridge,” Dutta shared adding,” I have seen her immense struggle while I was shooting the film and I still think and believe Maa must have pulled some strings from up there. I am dedicating my award my mum.”“Shouldn’t we dedicate everything to our mums first?” Dutta shared, before signing off, “I am also dedicating this moment to my team – my producer and whole unit. Making a movie is always a collaborative effort. “