The National Awards 2023 winners list is out, and Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery has taken home the honour for Best Hindi Feature Film. The 2023 comedy starred Sanya Malhotra as a police officer investigating the bizarre case of a missing jackfruit. Taking to Instagram, the actress reflected on her experience filming and shared how proud she and the team felt about the win.
Sanya Malhotra reflects on the Kathal role
Sanya Malhotra recalled the emotional depth of her journey while working on Kathal, “During the prep for Kathal, I remember Yasho and I driving to Ghatigaon, meeting the people who inspired him to write this story, changed something in me. I still remember sitting in that car, holding onto the weight of what it meant to play Mahima. I was overwhelmed, humbled, and so deeply grateful.”
A moment of pride and pause
She also spoke about Kathal winning Best Picture and reflected on her approach to acting,
“Today, Kathal has won a National Award. I used to believe that with every film, my job was simple – keep my head down, serve the story, serve the audience and give my heart to the work. I still believe that. But today, I’m allowing myself a pause. A moment to feel joy, pride and gratitude for this film, for this team and for the stories that move us all.”
What is Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery about?
Directed by Yashowardhan Mishra, Kathal is produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga and Achin Jain under the banners Balaji Motion Pictures and Sikhya Entertainment. Sanya Malhotra plays DSP Mahima Basor, who is tasked with solving the case of a missing jackfruit allegedly stolen from the home of a local politician.
A critical hit with an ensemble cast
The film offers biting social commentary wrapped in sharp, witty writing. Kathal premiered on Netflix in May 2023 and received acclaim from both critics and audiences. The supporting cast includes Anant V Joshi, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Brijendra Kala and Neha Saraf.
