Sonali Kulkarni Opens Up About Losing National Award To Tabu: “I Was So Angry And Jealous”
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Source: NDTV Entertainment | By: NDTV Movies News Desk | Published: Jun 27, 2026, 15:59 IST | Read time: ~3 mins
Standfirst: In 1997, Tabu won the National Award for Best Actress for Maachis, beating Sonali Kulkarni, who was nominated in the same category.
Actress Sonali Kulkarni has opened up about how she felt after losing the 1997 National Award for Best Actress to Tabu, who was honoured for Maachis. Sonali was nominated for her role in Daayra. Decades later, during an appearance on Screen Spotlight, she recalled believing Tabu won only because she was Shabana Azmi’s niece.
On the jealousy: “I was jealous of everyone who was winning awards,” she said. “Every year, my films were considered the best-chosen films in the final rounds of the National Awards. And every year after year, I was getting disappointed. And that was the time when I really wanted a National Award. I was winning others, but what you don’t get, you crave for that the most.”
Her thoughts on Tabu’s win: Recalling the moment, she remembered telling herself: “She’s from the industry na!” — convinced Tabu won solely due to being the niece of five-time National Award-winning star Shabana Azmi. “I was so angry and jealous of Tabu that I finally went and watched Maachis. When I watched her films, it helped me deal with the insecurities or the desperation I had,” she revealed.
After watching Maachis: Sonali said Tabu’s performance was “so sleek” it calmed her down. “Her performance not only gave me joy but also had so much command it helped me come to terms with my own life and abilities. When I watched many films of Tabu, including Maachis, Astitva, and Chandni Bar, I fell in love with her every time.”
Where she is now: She said she eventually let go of the desire to win a National Award. Reflecting on her younger self: “At the beginning of your career, you want to perform all your emotions with intensity. You don’t know what subtlety is… So, I have no complaints now. I’ve come to terms with myself, more than anything else.” She later won the Special Jury Award at the National Film Awards 2002 for Kranti Kanade’s Marathi short film Chaitra, and now says she’s manifesting a collaboration with Tabu.
Context if you’re writing off this: the original interview is SCREEN’s (Indian Express) Screen Spotlight series from June 26, 2026 — Indian Express, Mid-Day, News18, Gulf News and TOI all ran versions, so this is a widely syndicated celebrity beat item rather than an NDTV exclusive.
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