69th National Film Awards (Announced)

INDIA is world’s number one film-producing country. At roughly 2500 movies every year, the industry earns about Rs 15,000 crore annually from sales of cinema tickets. Though the density of cinema screens is less in the country, at about 9,000 compared to over 65,000 in China and more than 35,000 in the US, the love for cinema is ubiquitous in India.

In keeping with the high interest of viewers, advertising moolah has given rise to dime a dozen film awards which are given out yearly in different shapes, sizes, colours and categories. But the most prestigious, soughtafter and cherished awards are the National Film Awards, which are given by the highest official of the country – the President of India – every year.

Under I&B purview

The awards come under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Ministry used to have a Directorate of Film Festivals till last year which would handle the jury work for the Awards. But now the Directorate has been subsumed into the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

69th National Film Awards

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1. Best Supporting Actor : PANKAJ Torpathi

2. Best Actress ALIA BHATT (GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI)

3. BEST MUSIC DIRECTION (SONGS) DEVI SRI PRASAD (PUSHPA)

4. Best Actor ALLU ARJUN (PUSHPA)

5. Best Feature Film ROCKETRY

6. Best Child Artist : BHAVIN RABARI

7. Best Popular Film: Providing Wholesome Entertainment :RRR

8. Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film: on National Integration: THE KASHMIR FILES

9. Best Director NIKHIL MAHAJAN (GODAVARI)

Established in 1954, the National Film Awards are given for the preceding year’s films which are showcased free for public viewing after the conferment of the awards.

Over the years, the number of the awards has increased. Initially called ‘State Awards’, with two President’s Gold Medals, two certificates of merit and silver medals for a dozen regional films, for the first six years, it was the practice to give the Regional Best Award to the National Best Film itself.

The first recipients

Separate awards for artists and technicians were instituted in 1968 for the films of 1967. Nargis Dutt and Uttam Kumar were the first actress and actor to get the Best Actress (then called Urvashi) and Best Actor (then called Bharat) Awards, respectively.

The awards are given in three sections – Feature Films, NonFeature Films and Best Writing on Cinema. A Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke, is also given every year for outstanding contribution to cinema.

Cinema as art form

The selection of winners in Feature Films and Non-Feature Films is a recognition of cinematic excellence. The ‘Best Writing on Cinema’ award focuses on encouraging the study and appreciation of cinema as an art form. It looks at dissemination of information and critical appreciation of the art form through the publication of books, articles, reviews, newspaper coverage and studies.

The National Film Awards aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence. Films which are selected by a highprofile jury are chosen for their social relevance and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country. They, thus, also help in promoting unity and integrity of the country.