“I froze for a few seconds and ran to hug my father. I called my mother back from wherever she was, and my sister Nupur also came. It was an emotional moment I will always remember, my mother was dancing, everyone was hugging each other,” says an emotional Sanon.

The 33-year-old, who lifted the honour for her performance as a surrogate mother in Mimi, confesses that she gets goosebumps every time she utters ‘National Award’. As a Delhi girl who has done it without any industry connections, she continues, “Every form of validation means a lot. Coming from a non filmi background it was anyway a huge thing to be a part of the industry. An opportunity like Mimi is rare for any actor. To get the National Award is a huge thing, something every actor dreams of but not too many get to live it. For me to be living it within a decade… I had written it as a dream in my diary in 2020, but didn’t expect it to happen so soon! It is the highest validation, coming from the government.”

An award like this is bound to change things. When we ask how does she feel it will impact her choices and life going forward, the actor replies, “I am not really thinking about the impact it will have on my career. I am blessed to have gotten this award, I am not even thinking about the future or what impact it will have because it already has! It gave me an overwhelming sense of gratefulness I haven’t felt before. The fact that I don’t come from this industry or have any experience or schooling of acting… I am a very ambitious person, and thrive to do my best. I don’t believe I have really tapped into my potential, because I keep wanting to grow. This prestigious award makes me a lot more confident.”