The Wajid Ali Shah award was presented to nation’s very noted director Sudhir Mishra. Born and brought up in Lucknow, Sudhir Mishra is the grandson of former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Dwarka Prasad Mishra. His father, Devendra Nath Mishra, was the founder member of Lucknow Film Society. Sudhir Mishra along with Badal Sircar who is his college friend, formed a theatre group called Workshop Theatre and worked on several plays together. After a year and a half he moved to Pune with his brother Sudhanshu Mishra, who was the student then at Film and Television Institute of India and Sudhir gives brownie points to his brother for making him learn much of the cinema. Moving to the city of Dreams, Bombay in 1980, he began his career as assistant director and scriptwriter in Kundan Shah’s comedy classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron and later worked with Saeed Akhtar Mirza in Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho! in 1984 and with Vidhu Vinod Chopra in Khamosh in 1985. Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin in 1987 was his directorial debut which won him the prestigious National Film Award for Best First Film of a Director. He is credited for many applauded films like Dharavi in 1991, Main Zinda Hoon in 1988, Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin in 1996 and Chameli in 2003. Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2005 is his most hailed film up till now. Arjun Pandit (1999 film), Calcutta Mail (2003), Khoya Khoya Chand (2007), Tera Kya Hoga Johnny (2010) Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011), Mumbai Cutting (2011), Inkaar (2013) and Kirchiyaan (2013) are his other endowed projects. Apart from directing and screenwriting Sudhir also appeared as an actor in many films like Khamosh in 1985, Traffic signal in 2007 and Raat gayi baat gayi in 2010.
Sudhir Mishra as a film director and screenwriter has been a crucial part of Hindi cinema and LUCKNOW Society is gratified by bestowing Wajid Ali Shah Award to Sudhir Mishra for his contribution in Hindi cinema and glorifying Lucknow. On greeting the audience Sudhir confessed his fear in speaking much in the city as his ancestors belong here and also there are many friends and relatives who want him to see them.
>> Wajid Ali Shah Award 2015 – Pandit Birju Maharaj
