Konkona Sen Sharma
Konkona Sen Sharma bagged two awards at the 2017 New York Indian Film Festival, winning in the Best Actress and Best Director categories.

NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Konkona Sen Sharma has been selected as the winner in the categories of “Best Director” and “Best Actress” at the New York Indian Film Festival.

The 37-year-old Sharma won the best actress award for her performance in Alankrita Srivastava’s Lipstick Under My Burkha, while she was awarded the best director for her directorial debut, A Death in the Gunj.

The NYIFF announced the list of this year’s winners on its official Twitter page:

“#NYIFF2017 Awards winners Best Director is @konkonas @chhabs @aroonshiv,” another tweet read.

Lipstick Under My Burkha, which served as the festival’s opening-night film, has  been denied a certificate for theatrical release from India’s Central Board of Film Certification for being “female oriented.” The film revolves around four Indian women, from ages 18 to 55 – a burqa-clad college girl, a young beautician, a mother of three and an aging widow – living in a small town who assert their personal and sexual rights.

Sharma’s directorial venture, A Death in the Gunj, is a drama thriller starring Kalki Koechlin, Vikrant Massey, Jim Sarbh, Tanuja and Om Puri in key roles.

The 17th NYIFF, presented by the Indo-American Arts Council, took place from April 30 to May 7 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian