Did you know? Kriti Sanon won Best Actress for Mimi, the remake of National Award winning Marathi film Mala Aai Vhhaychy

Kriti Sanon and Mala Aai Vhhaychy. Pic/Google

Kriti Sanon and Pankaj Tripathi won big at the 69th National Film Awards which were declared at the National Media Center, New Delhi, on Thursday. They were honoured with the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor awards for the film, Mimi. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the film premiered on Netflix on July 26, 2021.

Mimi received a thumbs-up from the audience upon its release. However, did you know it was a remake of the 2011 Marathi film, Mala Aai Vhhaychy? Interestingly, the film directed by Samruoddhi Porey also has a National Award connection. Mala Aai Vhhaychy was conferred with the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi in 2011. Before Mimi, it was remade in Telugu as Welcome Obama in 2013.

Mala Aai Vhhaychy was headlined by Urmila Kanetkar. Director Samruoddhi also played an important role in the film. It dealt with surrogacy in India where women are used as surrogates by foreigners. Mimi also starred Sai Tamhankar as Kriti Sanon's friend. The Hindi version was about Mimi Rathore, a stage dancer in Rajasthan, who aspires to become an actress in Bollywood. A taxi driver named Bhanu introduces her to an American couple, John and Summer, who want a surrogate mother and are willing to pay a huge amount. The story orbits around Mimi's journey from being a surrogate to raising the child singlehandedly.

Kriti shared the Best Actress award with Alia Bhatt who won it for Gangubai Kathiawadi. Penning a note, the Mimi actress wrote, "ELATED - OVERWHELMED - GRATEFUL Still sinking it in.. pinching myself..this has actually happened! The National Award for Best Actress for Mimi! Thank you to the jury who considered my performance worthy of the most prestigious award! It means the world to me! Dinoo, I can't thank you enough for believing in me and my potential, for standing by me always and for giving me a film I'll treasure all my life! Laxman sir.. You always told me "Mimi, dekhna aapko is film ke liye National Award milega" Mil gaya sir!
And I couldn't have done this without you. Mom, Dad , Nups.. You guys are my lifeline! Thank you for always being my constant cheerleaders.. Congratulations Aliaaaa! So so well deserved! I've always admired your work and I'm too excited that I get to share this huge moment with you! Yayyyiiee!! Biggg hug. Let's Celebrate!!"