New Delhi:In a hat tip to mainstream cinema in the north and the south, Hindi film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was named the best feature film in the National Awards for 2021 announced on Thursday while Allu Arjun, Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon won the top acting honours. Bollywood stars Bhatt and Sanon shared the best actress prize for their roles in "Gangubai Kathiawadi" and "Mimi", respectively. Southern cinema sensation bagged the best actor award for the Telugu blockbuster "Pushpa: The Rise (Part I)".
The National Film Award for best director went to Nikhil Mahajan for Marathi film "Godavari". The National Awards for 2021 were announced by filmmaker Ketan Mehta who headed the 11-member jury. Pankaj Tripathi was named best supporting actor for "Mimi" and Pallavi Joshi the best supporting actress for "The Kashmir Files".
"The Kashmir Files", directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, also won the Nargis Dutt award for best film on national integration. "RRR" won six awards. Its music director MM Keeravani shared the best music direction award with "Pushpa (The Rise Part I)" music director Devi Prasad. The SS Rajamouli-directed film also bagged awards for best popular film providing wholesome entertainment, best male playback singer to Kalabhairava, best special effects, best action director and best choreography.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's lavishly mounted biopic "Gangubai Kathiawadi", on the powerful and much respected Kamathipura courtesan, won five awards. Besides best actress for Bhatt, Bhansali won two awards -- for best screenplay writer (adapted) along with Utkarshini Vashishtha and best editing for the film. The film's other awards were for best dialogue writer for Vashishtha and Prakash Kapadia and best make-up artist for Preetisheel Singh D'souza.