Veteran designer Neeta Lulla is fourth-time lucky! Earlier today, the designer who has dressed the best of Bollywood – from Aishwarya Rai to Katrina Kaif – has won her fourth National Award, for her costumes in the Marathi Film, Balgandharva.
In the past, Neeta has won National Awards for her work in films like Lamhe, Devdas and Jodhaa-Akbar (released in the year 1991, 2002 and 2008 respectively).
Says Neeta Lulla, “This is the first time I’ve won national recognition and appreciation for a Marathi film and hence, it holds a special place for me.”
Apparently, actor Riteish Deshmukh broke the good news to her…
According to the film’s website, Balgandharva – The Film, is the never-before-told, musical biographical drama of Indian theater legend Narayan Rajhans, alias ‘Balgandharva’ (1888 – 1967). Born in a poor town in Pune, Maharashtra, he was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays, since women were not allowed to act on stage during his time. After hearing his soulful singing, Lokmanya Tilak, the great freedom fighter, and the grand old man of the Indian independence movement, patted Narayan on the back, and said that he was a “Bal Gandharva” (which means “Singer from the Heaven”).
Narayanrao Bal Gandharva acted in numerous classic Marathi plays, and was one of those who were responsible for making Sangeet-Natak (musicals) and Natya-Sangeet (the music in those musicals), popular among common masses.