On Tuesday evening, Suneel Puranik, actor-director, was honored with the prestigious National Award for his documentary film "Ranga Vaibhoga" (2022), which explores the tradition of temple dance in Karnataka. The film won in the Best Arts/Culture Film category, marking the third National Award for the Puranik family. Prior to this, Suneel's son, Sagar Puranik, had also received national recognition for his films "Mahaan Hutatma" (Special Mention Award) in 2019 and "Dollu" (Best Feature Film in Kannada) in 2022.

The collaboration on "Ranga Vaibhoga" holds special significance for the Puraniks as it brought together the father-son duo, with Suneel directing the film and Sagar producing it. Sagar, reflecting on the achievement, mentioned that while the award has been received, its impact is still sinking in. Suneel expressed that his 37-year journey in the industry has been driven by a passion for documenting fading traditions and preserving them for future generations, rather than seeking recognition.

The Puraniks discussed their motivation for exploring cultural themes in their work, citing their upbringing in culturally-rich north Karnataka as a significant influence. Sagar highlighted the importance of showcasing unique facets of Indian culture through films like "Dollu," "Ranga Vaibhoga," and their upcoming project, "Venkya." By delving into lesser-explored cultural roots, the duo aims to provide audiences with fresh and authentic content that celebrates the diversity and richness of Indian heritage."We aim to implement this project with a strong cultural foundation," says Sagar. The main obstacle we face in producing such films is securing funding. I am not just referring to generating profits, but simply breaking even. Another challenge is finding technicians who share our vision.

Sagar Puranik on collaborating with his father, Suneel, shares, "Working together on a project as father and son is not easy because we have different approaches and perspectives. We often argue and stop speaking to each other for days, but we reconcile knowing that our intentions for the project are good."

Suneel adds, "I am well aware of Sagar's strengths and weaknesses, and he knows mine. This understanding allows us to leverage each other's capabilities in our collaborations. On set, we maintain clear responsibilities and offer support to each other without interfering in each other's work."

As for Suneel, he mentions, "Every morning, I go for a walk near my house. The day after winning the award, many people congratulated me, which felt special, almost like receiving an award."