Awards are validation for artist's hard work: Varun Dhawan

MUMBAI: Awards are a form of recognition for the hard work of artists and winning a Filmfare is like "reaching the top of the mountain", Varun Dhawan said on Monday.

Speaking at the 69th Filmfare Awards press conference here, the actor talked about the relevance of awards and how they motivate artists.

"It (award) means a lot to me. It is some kind of validation to your career as you work very hard. You put in blood, sweat, time, and sacrifice. When all that is done, at the end of the year you are compared to your peers and hopefully, the best person gets it," Dhawan said.

"Filmfare gets recorded in history, everyone talks about who won the best award, it's discussed and revered by our fraternity. So it's a big deal, it's like reaching the top of the mountain,” the actor told reporters.

The 'Bawaal' star said even though the commercial success of a film is important for an actor, awards motivate them to continue to do their best.

“We gauge success through the box office, which is very important because it is a business and you need income coming in. But sometimes a film is made very well and it doesn't get the desired result at the box office," Dhawan said.

"So, when it gets awards, the film lives on. The artist and the people who are behind making that film get so much respect that it empowers them and makes them brave to go ahead and continue to make the cinema that they make. So, in that sense, it is rewarding.” At the press meet, Dhawan’s “Bawaal” co-star Janhvi Kapoor recalled being nominated for the 'Best Actor' award for her 2020 film, "Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl" and said the validation made her believe in herself.

“An award means that someone has appreciated your work whether it's the jury or popular choice category. It means a great deal for an artist to be appreciated for the effort they have put in," Kapoor said.

"I remember I first got nominated for 'Gunjan Saxena' in the best actress category. I didn't expect it to mean as much as it did… I guess that external validation of people recognising me made me believe in myself even more,” she added.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is set to host this year's Filmfare Awards, said hosting an award show is the best way to connect with the audience.

“I am back as a host after three years. I don't consider myself to be the best in anything that I do, I think we all are creative artists trying to achieve excellence," Johar said.

"I am just happy that beyond the periphery of filmmaking, which is producing, directing and curating cinema, I can also get the opportunity to host a talk show or host an award ceremony. This means a lot to me,” he added.

Kapoor said she would often attend award shows accompanying her late actor-mother Sridevi and added that attending award ceremonies was like an outing for her family.

“My first memory of Filmfare was with Mom. As you all know, she was not an outgoing person but when it came to Filmfare, it was like a family outing. We used to get ready (for the event) and she used to be excited to show us all these amazing performances,” the actor added.

Dhawan recalled how nervous he was during his first stage performance at the Filmfare.

“I was excited that I was going to perform (at Filmfare). There was a (technical) glitch, the lights were on and the music stopped, and I saw Salman Khan watching me. I got scared as the music had stopped and I didn't know what to do. (But) I started again. During that whole performance, bhai held eye contact with me; it was not easy,” he said.

The two-day awards gala, which will be held in Gujarat on January 27 and 28, will see actors Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Dhawan, and Jahnvi Kapoor, performing on stage.