WION Exclusive | Music composer Shashwat Sachdev on his National Award win: 'Years of sacrifice, patience and faith'

Today (June 18), the 72nd National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi. This time, music composer Shashwat Sachdev, the name behind blockbusters like Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar Parts 1 and 2 and URI: The Surgical Strike, has won the second National Award of his career. He has been bestowed the Best Music Director award for the film Article 370, starring Yami Gautam.

Calling it his biggest victory yet, Sachdev said the first feeling was “gratitude.” In an exclusive chat with WION, which happened when he was busy travelling, shared, “When I look at this award, I don’t see only my own journey. I see my parents... and my guru.

What does this National Award mean to you?

Honestly, the first feeling is gratitude. When I look at this award, I don’t see only my own journey. I see my parents, who gave so much of their lives to mine, and my guru, who worked tirelessly on my music and shaped the person behind it. There were years of sacrifice, patience and faith, often without knowing where any of it would lead. So, to see the happiness this award has brought them feels very personal to me. It feels like life has come full circle. The award may carry my name, but in my heart, it belongs to all of them.

Who is the person you are most thankful for?

I would have to say my parents and my guru, along with every teacher who guided me at different stages of my life.

I remember that when I was very young, in complete childish innocence, I would tell my teachers, “One day, when I receive an award, I will dedicate it to you.” At that age, you say these things with a pure heart. You don’t know whether life will ever give you the opportunity to fulfil them. And today, God has given me that opportunity. That is what moves me the most. More than receiving an award, it feels like I have been allowed to keep a promise I made as a child.

Before this conversation, Saashwat had shared a statement in which he expressed gratitude for Dhar after the National Award honour.

After the announcement, he reacted by stating, "I came into cinema with no inheritance and only a deep love for music, so this National Award feels like a beautiful pause to look back at every uncertain day, every quiet sacrifice, and every person who stood by me before there was anything to celebrate."