Irony cannot get any thicker. A Gandhian film, "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara", not only gets lauded at the 5th Kara Film Festival in Karachi, but Anupam Kher walks away with the best actor award.

Anupam, who's in Dubai, couldn't believe his luck.

"I couldn't be there to receive the award. Pooja Bhatt collected it on my behalf. But I'm pretty flattered and happy. It just goes to show that Gandhian philosophy is acceptable in any part of the world.

"Relations across the border are improving now, and we must encourage that trend. 'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara' is based on the ideas of non-violence... For that message to come across so loudly and clearly in a country we've considered our traditional enemy, is quite something."

Jahnu Barua's elegiac exposé on the extermination of Gandhian values trots from kudos-to-kudos. And producer Anupam Kher is over-the-moon.

"There were 160 films at the Pakistan festival and a distinguished jury chosen from world cinema. To be selected the best actor in Pakistan is to me a greater honor than even an Oscar.

"Why do we make the Oscars the ultimate criteria for our excellence... just because they market their prizes better? I always feel popular culture and cinema have no LoCs (Lines of Control). Emotions are the same all over the world."

He was present at the opening of the festival in Karachi.

"My mentor Mahesh Bhatt gave a speech about me that should've been given for a lifetime achievement award. I look at 'Maine Gandhi...' as a modern Indian film. Its message is timeless...

"Gandhi-ji has helped me twice.... he once got my country freedom and he gave me the reason to produce a film that's getting me international recognition."

"Because I was recognized in Pakistan it's proven that 'Maine Gandhi...' goes beyond petty differences created in Pakistan."

To his chagrin, "Maine Gandhi..." stands no chance of a commercial release in Pakistan.

"That's a pity... because Pakistan has no cinema culture of its own to speak of. If we're allowed to distribute films in Pakistan it would become the biggest revenue-earning territory for Bollywood."

The Pakistani press has asked him about the prospects of Pakistani actors like Meera in Mumbai.

"I told them it's fine for Meera to get a fantastic break from Bhatt saab. But she has to compete with the Rani Mukherjees and Preity Zintas.

"Meera is no patch on them. If I've to work in Hollywood I've to be better than Clint Eastwood. Even good enough is not good enough. We should not confuse media attention with merit."