It’s that time of the year when the country’s most prominent and prestigious film awards are announced—The National Film Awards.
A special jury appointed by the government selects the winners. This year, the jury is being headed by director Shekhar Kapur.
Other members of this esteemed jury include Imtiaz Hussain, lyricist Mehboob, screenwriter Rumi Jaffrey, actress Gautami Tadimalla, director P Sheshadri, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Ranjit Das, Rajesh Mapuskar, and Tripurari Sharma.
Chairpersons of various juries for the 65th National Film Awards presented their reports to @MIB_India today. I thank them and every jury member for their contribution. pic.twitter.com/gmMvc4bXd3
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 12, 2018
The announcement of the 65th National Film Awards was held at PIB Conference Room, Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi today. And amongst the winners, was late actress Sridevi, who won the Best Actress award for Mom.
65th #NationalFilmAwards: #Sridevi wins Best Actress award for #mom pic.twitter.com/qRE0wpdJC7
— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 13, 2018
Another veteran actor who isn’t amongst us anymore, the late Vinod Khanna, was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award.
65th #NationalFilmAwards: #DadaSahebPhalke Award conferred to Veteran Actor #VinodKhanna pic.twitter.com/o63F8OV9iU
— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 13, 2018
The Rajkummar Rao-starrer Newton bagged the award for the best Hindi film.
Watch LIVE: 65th #NationalFilmAwards: #Newton bags the Award for Best Hindi Film pic.twitter.com/vIeFc7udwg
— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 13, 2018
A Special Mention Award was also in store for actor Pankaj Tripathi, who played Assistant Commadant Aatma Singh in the film.
Watch LIVE: 65th #NationalFilmAwards: Pankaj Tripathi bags Special Mention Award for film #Newton pic.twitter.com/5Rr38SPy25
— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 13, 2018
No surprises in the fact that S S Rajamouli’s magnum opus Baahubali 2: The Conclusion was named ‘The Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment’!
65th #NationalFilmAwards: Feature Films
BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT #Baahubali2 pic.twitter.com/cXTXjtOhC4— PIB India (@PIB_India) April 13, 2018
That’s another feather in the already loaded cap of this blockbuster hit! But wait, that’s not it! Baahubali 2 even bagged the award for Best Special Effects!
A few other noteworthy wins included A R Rehman’s double whammy of Best Background Score for Mom and Best Music Direction for Kaatru Veliyidai. Toilet-Ek Prem Katha bagged the award for best choreography by Ganesh Acharya. The supremely talented Divya Dutta too was named the Best Supporting Actress for her movie Irada.
Here’s the full list of winners:
Best Educational Film: The Girls We Were and The Women We Are
Best Adventure Film: Ladakh Chale Rickshaw Waale.
Best Investigative Film: 1984 When The Sun Did Not Rise
Best Animation Film: Fish Curry, Maachar Jhol
Special Jury Award: The Old Man, Monday
Best Short Film Fiction: Maiyat
Best Film On Family Values: Happy Birthday
Best Direction: Pravash Ch Nivandan, Nagraj Manule
Best Cinematography: Eye Test, Don
Best Critic On Cinema Award: Giridhar Jha, Special Mention to Sunil Mishra
Special Mention Awards: Marathi Film- Morkhya, Oriya Film- Hello Mirror, Parvathy, Take Off, Pankaj Tripathi, Newton
Best Ladhaki Film: Walking With The Wind
Best Jasari Film: Sinjar
Best Tulu Film: Paddayi
Best Odiya Film: Hello Arsi
Best Marathi Film: Kachcha Limbu
Best Malayalam Film: Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum
Best Kannada Film: Hebbettu Ramakka
Best Hindi Film: Newton
Best Bengali Film: Mayurakshi
Best Assamese Film: Ishu
Best Tamil Film: To Let
Best Telugu Film: The Ghazi Attack
Best Gujarati Film: Dhh
Best Action Direction: Baahubali: The Conclusion
Best Choreography: Toilet-Ek Prem Katha (Gori tu lath maar) – Ganesh Acharya
Best Special Effects: Baahubali: The Conclusion (Baahubali 2)
Special Mention: Nagarkirtan
Best Background Score: AR Rahman, MOM
Best Lyrics: Muthuratna, March 22
Best Music Direction and Songs: AR Rahman, Katru Veliyidai
Best Makeup Artist: Nagarkirtan, Ram Rajak
Best Costume: Nagarkirtan, Govinda Mandal
Best Production Design: Take Off, Santhosh Raman
Best Editing: Village Rockstar, Rima Das
Best Sound Design: Walking With The Wind, Sanath George and Justin Jose
Best Audiography: Village Rockstar, Mallika Das
Best Original Screenplay: Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum
Best Adapted Screenplay: Bhayanakam
Best Cinematography: Bhayanakam
Best Supporting Actor: Fahad Fazil (Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum)
Best Supporting Actress: Divya Dutta (Irada)
Best Playback Singer(Female): Sasha Trupati (Vaan)
Best Playback Singer (Male): Yesudas
Best Child Artist: Bhanita Das (Village Rockstars)
Best Actor: Ridhi Sen (Nagarkirtan)
Best Actress: Sridevi (MOM)
Best Director: Jayaraj (Bhayanakam)
Best Children’s Film: Mhorkya
Best Film on Environment Conservation: Irada
Best Film on Social Issues: Aalorukkam
Best Popular Film: Baahubali: The Conclusion
Nargis Dutt Award on National Integration: Dhappa
Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Vinod Khanna
Indira Gandhi Award For Best Debut Director: Pampally (Sinjar)
Best Feature Film: Village Rockstar (Assamese)
As is the tradition each year, the National Film Awards are announced at an earlier date and the presentation ceremony is held later. This year too, on May 3rd, President Ram Nath Kovind will be presenting the awards in New Delhi. The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award is also given out in the same ceremony.
And shall we say, this is one illustrious list of winners! Congratulations!