Chhello Divas fame Gujarati actor Yash Soni is basking in the success of his latest film Maaran, also known as Maaran: The Hunt. Directed by Abhishek Jain and featuring Deeksha Joshi alongside Soni, the Gujarati film has been honoured with the Best Gujarati Film award at the 72nd National Film Awards. Soni, who has earned praise for his intense and terrifying portrayal of Ratan, says the recognition came as a complete surprise.
Speaking exclusively about the achievement to Zoom, Soni revealed that he was not even aware that Maaran had been submitted for the s. “This is my first film which has won the National Award. I was very excited. I was not expecting it,” he said. The actor admitted that the team had been more focused on figuring out the film’s release when the National Award announcement arrived. “We were trying to figure out how to release the film. I did not even know when or how it would release. I did not even know it was submitted for the National Awards. And then I directly got this good news,” Soni recalled.
For Soni, Maaran’s success is also part of a much larger transformation taking place within Gujarati cinema
The unexpected honour has made the achievement even more special for the actor. “I was all excited. I feel lucky to be a part of a film which has won the National Award,” he added.
For Soni, Maaran’s success is also part of a much larger transformation taking place within Gujarati cinema. Having witnessed the industry’s evolution closely since the release of in 2015, the actor believes the last decade has marked a remarkable period of growth.
“Gujarati cinema has seen a massive evolution in the last 10 to 11 years post Chhello Divas,” Soni said, pointing to the increasing number of films being produced and the diversity of stories being explored.
According to the actor, the industry is now operating at a significantly larger scale, with multiple productions being shot simultaneously. “Every month a production or every second month a production is being churned by the Gujarati film industry. Now, we are seeing seven-eight films being shot together. Different kinds of genre experiments are happening,” he explained.
According to Yash, the industry is now operating at a significantly larger scale, with multiple productions being shot simultaneously
Soni also highlighted Gujarati cinema’s growing presence at the National Awards, noting that the industry has been winning consecutively in recent years. He believes films such as Vash and Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate demonstrate how filmmakers are pushing boundaries while also finding wider audiences. “Vash has done a lot of experimentation, while Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate became a historic blockbuster,” he said.
With experimentation, new filmmakers and varied storytelling gaining momentum, Soni is optimistic about what lies ahead. “Gujarati cinema has progressed a lot in a very short span of time, so much so that it is now recognised both nationally and internationally,” he said.
Looking towards the future, the actor expects the industry to become even more diverse, ambitious and experimental. “There will be good genres, good filmmakers, good production houses and new types of films with varied treatment. I am very excited,” Soni concluded.