Veteran actor Paresh Rawal recently opened up about a moment of deep confusion and disappointment from the 1990s, when he was told he had won not one but two National Awards—only to later discover he was getting just one. And the reason? According to a politician, he hadn’t “lobbied hard enough.”

In an interview, Rawal recalled receiving an early morning call from producer Mukesh Bhatt while shooting in Mauritius around 1993–94. “‘Paresh, wake up! You’ve won the National Award for Sir!’” he was told. Moments later, another call came, this time from filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi, congratulating him for winning Best Actor for Sardar, a film directed by Ketan Mehta.

Still processing the double good news, Rawal was ecstatic—until he returned to Delhi and found out he would be receiving an award only for Sir, not for Sardar. Confused, he sought answers from filmmaker Ketan Mehta, critic Khalid Mohamed, and even politician T. Subbarami Reddy. None had a clear explanation—until Reddy bluntly said, “You people didn’t lobby. We lobbied hard… aggressively. Mammootty got it.”

Rawal said he was shocked. In 1994, Mammootty won Best Actor for Vidheyan and Ponthan Mada, while Sardar was released the year before.

Reflecting on the state of award politics, the actor remarked, “I didn’t receive any award during Modi’s government. I got it in 2013. These are government awards. I value them, but sometimes technicalities and dirty games ruin it. Films aren’t submitted, lobbying takes over. If it happens at the Oscars, it can surely happen here.”

Despite the snub, Rawal said he’s moved on. What truly matters to him is appreciation from legends. “When Naseeruddin Shah calls me late at night after watching Mumbai Meri Jaan and says, ‘Paresh, what a performance,’ or when Om Puri compliments me, that fills my heart. That’s the real award.”