Receiving the National Award for his choreography of "Aaj Ki Raat" from the film Stree 2 has been an unexpected and significant achievement for Vijay Ganguly. While he always harbored hopes that his creative work would resonate with a wide audience, he confesses that the immense popularity of this particular track, which rapidly became one of the year’s most prominent party anthems, truly caught him by surprise.
Ganguly articulated the inherent aspirations of any choreographer, stating, “When we choreograph, we always hope our work reaches the maximum number of people.” However, he also acknowledged the capricious nature of a song’s journey, noting that even exceptional work can sometimes be cut from a film or fail to gain traction with the public. He cited an instance with a beautiful song choreographed for Chhaava starring Vicky Kaushal, which ultimately did not make the final cut. In contrast, with "Aaj Ki Raat," there was an internal conviction that they had produced something special, yet the scale of its public connection was entirely unforeseen. Their approach was simply to execute their craft to the best of their abilities and trust in its eventual reception.
The choreographer attributes the song’s widespread appeal to a powerful combination of compelling music and dynamic choreography that visually mirrored the audio’s energy. He emphasized the universal charm of the track, observing, “The audio was so good that everyone — from children to older people — connected with it.” He further elaborated on the crucial role children play in a song’s ascent to popularity, explaining that once young audiences embrace a tune, its ubiquity is almost guaranteed as they repeatedly play it in various settings.
Beyond the composition and his own choreographic efforts, Ganguly profoundly credits Tamannaah Bhatia for the song’s monumental success. He underlined that the performer is the ultimate conduit through whom the audience experiences the work. Without Bhatia’s exceptional execution, he firmly believes the song would not have achieved its current standing. He therefore bestows the greatest recognition upon her for her pivotal contribution.
This National Award not only marks a personal triumph for Vijay Ganguly but also adds another prestigious accolade to his family’s illustrious legacy. His father, the renowned filmmaker Anil Ganguly, had previously garnered two National Awards: one for Best Story for Kora Kagaz in 1975, and another for Best Feature Film in Hindi for Tapasya in 1976. Vijay Ganguly expressed immense pride in this achievement, identifying it as the third National Award to enter their household, but significantly, his first. He considers it the highest honor one can receive in the nation.
