Hyderabad (Telangana): The winners of the 68th National Film Awards were announced today to honour the entertainment industry's best talent. A 10-member jury led by director-producer Vipul Shah met Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday morning to submit its report on the 68th National Film Awards.
The awards were announced this evening in the national capital in a ceremony, which is being held after a gap of two years because of the COVID pandemic. Speaking about the awards, Thakur said, "I want to congratulate all the jury members and all those people whose work was reviewed and would like to congratulate those recipients who will be awarded with the National Film Awards. A word of appreciation for everyone who has done an outstanding job." He added, "I am glad that after two years because of COVID, since we could not hold the awards. This year, we will be holding the 68 National Film Awards."
Apart from chairperson Shah, the jury members include cinematographer Dharam Gulati, National award-winning fame Bengali actor Sreelekha Mukherjee, cinematographer GS Bhaskar, A Karthikraaja, VN Aditya, Viji Thampi, Sanjeev Rattan, S Thangadurai and Nishigandha.
Sources say that more than 295 films reached the elimination stage and the jury has finally reviewed 66 films in the feature section.
For the non-feature category, the jury reviewed close to 140 non-feature films including documentaries.
Here is the complete list of winners:
- Most film-friendly state: Madhya Pradesh
- Best Book on Cinema: To be announced
- Best Film Critic: No award this year
Feature Film Awards
Special Jury Mention : Semkhor (Dimasa) — Actress : Aimee Baruah, Vaanku (Malayalam) — Director : Kavya Prakash, June (Marathi) — Actor : Siddharth Menon and Godakaath (Marathi) — Actor : Kishore Kadam & Avwanchhit (Marathi) — Actor : Kishore Kadam, Toolsidas Junior (Hindi) — Child Actor : Varun Buddhadev
- Best Haryanvi Film : Dada Lakhmi — Producer: Anhad Studio Pvt.Ltd, Director: Yashpal Sharma
- Best Dimasa Film : Semkhor — Producer: Aimee Baruah Production Society, Director: Aimee Baruah
- Best Tulu Film : Jeetige — Producer: A R Productions, Director: Santhosh Mada
- Best Feature Film in each of the language specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution
- Best Telugu Film : Colour Photo — Producer: Amrutha Productions, Director: Angirekula Sandeep Raj
- Best Tamil Film : Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum — Producer: Hamsa Pictures, Director: Vasanth S Sai
- Best Malayalam Film : Thinkalazcha Nishchayam (Engagement is on Monday) — Producer: Pushkar Films, Director: Prasanna Sathyanath Hegde
- Best Marathi Film : Goshta Eka Paithanichi (Tale of a Paithani) — Producer: Planet Marathi, Director: Shantanu Ganesh Rode
- Best Kannada Film : Dollu — Producer: Wadeeyar Movies, Director: Sagar Puranik
- Best Hindi Film : Toolsidas Junior — Producer: Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Pvt.Ltd, Director: Mridul Toolsidass
- Best Bengali Film : Avijatrik (The Wanderlust of Apu) — Producer: GMB Films Pvt.ltd, Director: Subhrajit Mitra
- Best Assamese Film : Bridge — Producer: Sabita Devi, Director: Kripal Kalita
- Best Action Direction Award (Stunt Choreography) : AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam) — Stunt Choreography : Rajasekhar , Mafia Sasi & Supreme Sunder
- Best Choreography : Natyam ( Dance) (Telugu) — Choreographer: Sandhya Raju
- Best Lyrics : Saina (Hindi) — Lyricist: Manoj Muntashir
- Best Music Direction : Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (Telugu) — Music Director (Songs): Thaman S & Soorarai Pottru (Tamil) — Music Director (Background Score):G V Prakash Kumar
- Best Make-up Artist : Natyam ( Dance) (Telugu) — Make-up Artist: T V Rambabu
- Best Costume Designer : Tanhaji :The Unsung Warrior (Hindi) — Costume Designer: Nachiket Barve & Mahesh Sherla
- Best Production Design : Kappela (Chapel) (Malayalam) — Production Designer: Anees Nadodi
- Best Editing : Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum (Tamil) — Editor: Sreekar Prasad
- Best Audiography : Dollu (Kannada) — Location Sound Recordist (for sync sound films only) : Jobin Jayan, Mi Vasantrao (I Am Vasantrao) (Marathi) — Sound Designer : Anmol Bhave, Malik (Malayalam) — Re- recordist of the final mixed track: Vishnu Govind & Sree Sankar
- Best Screenplay : Soorarai Pottru (Tamil) — Screenplay writer (original): Shalini Usha Nair & Sudha Kongara, Mandela (Tamil) — Dialogue Writer: Madonne Ashwin
- Best Cinematography : Avijatrik (The Wanderlust of Apu) (Bengali) — Cameraman: Supratim Bhol
- Best Female Playback Singer : AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam) — Singer : Nanchamma
- Best Male Playback Singer : Mi Vasantrao (I Am Vasantrao) (Marathi) — Singer : Rahul Deshpande
- Best Child Artist : Tak-Tak (Marathi) — Child Artist : Anish Mangesh Gosavi, Sumi (Marathi) — Child Artist : Akanksha Pingle & Divyesh Indulkar
- Best Supporting Actress : Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum (Tamil) — Supporting Actress: Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli
- Best Supporting Actor : AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam) — Supporting Actor: Biju Menon
- Best Actress : Soorarai Pottru (Tamil) — Actress : Aparrna Balamurali
- Best Actor : Soorarai Pottru (Tamil) — Actor : Suriya & Tanhaji:The Unsung Warrior (Hindi) — Actor : Ajay Devgn
- Best Direction : AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam) — Director: Sachidanandan KR (Posthumous)
- Best Children's Film : Sumi (Marathi) — Producer : Harshall Kamat Entertainment, Director: Amol Vasant Gole
- Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation : Taledanda (Beheading a Life) (Kannada) — Producer: Krupanidhi Kreations, Director: Praveen Krupakar
- Best Film on Social Issues: Funeral (Marathi) — Producer: Before After Entertainment, Director: Vivek Dubey
- Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment : Tanhaji :The Unsung Warrior (Hindi) — Producer: Ajay Devgn FFilms, Director: Om Raut
- Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director : Mandela (Tamil) — Producer: YNOT Studios, Director: Madonne Ashwin
- Best Feature Film : Soorarai Pottru (Tamil) — Producer: 2D Entertainment Pvt.Ltd, Director: Sudha Kongara
Non-Feature Film Awards:
- BEST NARRATION/ VOICE OVER : Rhapsody of Rains- Monsoons of Kerala(English)
- BEST MUSIC DIRECTION : 1232 Kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar 1232 Kms – Will Die there only ) (Hindi)
- BEST EDITING : Borderlands (Bengali, Nepali Manipuri, Hindi & Punjabi)
- BEST ON-LOCATION SOUND RECORDIST : Jadui Jangal ( Magical Forest) (Hindi)
- BEST AUDIOGRAPHY : Pearl of the Desert (Rajasthani)
- BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY : Shabdikkunna Kalappa (Talking Plow) (Malayalam)
- BEST DIRECTION : Oh That’s Bhanu (English, Tamil, Malayalam & Hindi)
- BEST FILM ON FAMILY VALUES : Kumkumarchan (Worship of the Goddess) (Marathi)
- BEST SHORT FICTION FILM : Kachichinithu ( The Boy with a Gun) (Karbi)
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD : Admitted (Hindi & English)
- BEST INVESTIGATIVE FILM : The Saviour : Brig.Pritam Singh (Punjabi)
- BEST EXPLORATION /ADVENTURE FILM (to include sports) : Wheeling the Ball (English &Hindi)
- BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM : Dreaming of Words (Malayalam)
- BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES : Justice Delayed but Delivered (Hindi) & Three Sisters (Bengali)
- BEST ENVIRONMENT FILM : Manah Aru Manuh (Manas and People) (Assamese)
- BEST PROMOTIONAL FILM : Surmounting Challenges (English)
- BEST SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY FILM : On the Brink Season 2- Bats (English)
- BEST ARTS and CULTURE FILM : Naadada Navaneeta DR PT Venkateshkumar (Dr. Venkatesh Kumar) (Kannada)
- BEST BIOGRAPHICAL FILM : Pabung Syam (Manipuri)
- BEST ETHNOGRAPHIC FILM : Mandal ke Bol (Rhythm of Mandal) (Hindi)
- BEST DEBUT NON-FEATURE FILM OF A DIRECTOR : Pariah (Marathi and Hindi)
- BEST NON-FEATURE FILM : Testimony of Ana (Dangi)
The National Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.
