film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Punjabi. Set in Goa between 1986 and 1994, Onir's My Brother Nikhil centers on the character of Nikhil (played by Sanjay Suri), a young man who is tested HIV-positive. Chawla co-starred as Anamika Kapoor, a schoolteacher by profession and Nikhil's loving and supportive elder sister, who accepts his same-gender partner and stands by his side through his struggle. The film opened to a welcome reception by critics, and Chawla's performance was particularly praised. Khalid Mohamed was highly approving of her portrayal: "Above all, Juhi Chawla is perfect. Her effortless blend of conflicting emotions is what A-class acting is all about. Ms Chawla is a diamond in this little gem of a movie." She starred alongside Irfan Khan in 7½ Phere. Hindustan Times commended her comic performance. In 2006, she appeared in the ensemble drama Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love directed by Nikhil Advani. She collaborated with Onir once again with in the drama Bas Ek Pal (2006) alongside Urmila Matondkar and Sanjay Suri. She played Ira Malhotra, a battered wife who refuses to leave her possessive husband for religious reasons. The film opened to positive reviews. Subhash K. Jha wrote of Chawla that she "uses her ability to portray hurt and guilt with minimum effort." The same year she starred in another Punjabi film, the historical drama Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris, which won a National Film Award. According to the BBC, the film "bears the hallmarks of a quality production". The film is based on the life of Punjabi poet Waris Shah during the times he wrote the poem Heer. Chawla and Manoj Bajpayee played a married couple in Ganesh Acharya's drama Swami (2007), which follows their financial struggles to secure proper education for their intelligent son. Reviews of the film were varied. Tanveer Bookwala of Rediff appreciated the film for its simple story and for giving the lead pair "the chance to be unconventional and subtle and they do not fail to deliver." Chawla then appeared in Ravi Chopra's Bhoothnath (2008) with Amitabh Bachchan, in which she made her singing debut with the song "Chalo Jaane Do", the film was a moderate success and Chawla was appreciated for her role. Manish Gajjar from BBC wrote, "Juhi Chawla's brilliant comic timing as Banku's mum has you in stitches." Another film called Krazzy 4 with Irfan Khan and Arshad