Yogesh Deshpande wins National Film Award for adapted screenplay on Sudhir Phadke

Filmmaker and screenwriter Yogesh Deshpande has been awarded the National Film Award for Best Screenplay (Adapted) for the feature Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke. The honour was presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony, held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, by President Droupadi Murmu.

The film is a musical biography tracing the life and legacy of the legendary musician Sudhir Phadke. Deshpande described the project as a deeply meaningful undertaking, noting that portraying an artist of Phadke's stature carried both responsibility and creative possibility. In his remarks on the award, he said the recognition belonged to the collective effort behind the film and reflected the strength of stories drawn from cultural and artistic heritage. He also thanked those who trusted him with the narrative and supported its journey.

Deshpande's career spans more than two decades across advertising and cinema. He began working in advertising in 2000 and has since written and directed over 100 ad films, building a grounding in visual storytelling and brand communication. He is the founder of RedefineZ Productions, a production house based in Pune.

He moved into feature filmmaking with 66 Sadashiv before taking on the musical biopic. Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke was noted for its musical authenticity, with original songs recorded by voices including Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosale, Sudhir Phadke and Kishore Kumar. The film was released in five countries and drew critical acclaim along with international recognition.

The national honour arrives as Deshpande prepares for his next Marathi directorial feature, Thumbz Up. The project, currently in pre-production, is set in the Konkan landscape and examines the human impact of the digital divide through a female protagonist. It continues his approach of combining culturally rooted storytelling with contemporary themes and an emphasis on human emotion.