Premium69th National Film Awards 2021: 777 is the guardian angel number; Charlie was my angel, says 777 Charlie director Kiranraj K
777 Charlie was adjudged the Best Kannada Film for the year 2021 at the National Film Awards on Aug 24. This is the first such recognition for Kiranraj and producer Rakshit Shetty’s Paramvah Studios
Last Updated: 07.35 AM, Aug 25, 2023
When debutant director Kiranraj K sent his film 777 Charlie for consideration at the 69th National Film Awards, he knew the competition was going to be tough. Nevertheless, he thought that the film, his leading man and producer Rakshit Shetty and music man Nobin Paul, among others, deserved a shot at glory and he sent the film as an applicant in all categories. The film was eventually adjudged the Best Kannada movie of the year.
“Immensely happy at this recognition, which feels even better as 777 Charlie is my first-ever directorial, the culmination of five years of effort by the team. This National Award is not only my first award, but also for Rakshit’s Paramvah Studios, so it is extra special. Having said that, winning a National Award increases your responsibility as a filmmaker and you need to only get better going forward. When I was thinking of calling the film 777 Charlie, my thought was that 777 is the guardian angel number and, in the movie, Charlie is Dharma’s guardian angel. Throughout the making, the release time, when the film was widely appreciated across the country and now, with this recognition, Charlie has time and again proven that she is indeed our guardian angel. This National Award has come from Charlie and I dedicate it to her,” Kiranraj told us shortly after the announcement last evening.
The filmmaker candidly admits that he knew the competition would be tough in a year in which there were films like Jai Bhim, RRR, Rocketry, among many others, that had won the nation over. “Hence, we were not able to make it to the national-level categories and were part of the selection pool for the best film among the Kannada entries. When I sent the film, I was expecting some form of recognition for Rakshit and music director Nobin. As an actor, it is easy to perform with other co-stars, but acting with an animal is an extremely tough job and Rakshit excelled at that, which deserved appreciation. 777 Charlie was a musical cinema in its treatment; there weren’t too many dialogues and much of the film’s narrative depended entirely on the background score. But then, in a year in which a film from India got Oscar recognition (referring to RRR’s Naatu Naatu win), I knew it would be difficult for us to win in that category. India had to, of course, honour that team,” he signs off.