69th National Films Awards: Allu Arjun, Alia and Kriti bag acting honours
The 69th National Film Awards were announced at the National Media Centre in New Delhi on Thursday. Ahead of the announcement, the Chairperson and other Jury members called on the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur and presented him with the selections for the Awards.
Best feature film award has been given to Rocketry: The Nambi Effect and the Best Non-Feature Film has been bagged by Ek Tha Gaon directed by Srishti Lakhera. The Kashmir Files was feted with the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, while RRR bagged the Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Allu Arjun has won the award for Best Actor for his stellar performance in the movie Pushpa (The Rise Part I) while Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon became joint winners of Best Actress Award for Gangubai Kathiawadi and Mimi, respectively.
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.
“I’m happy for everybody who has won… Good cinema gets acknowledged and a pat on the back from the government, and nationally and from a respectful jury, it always brings you joy,” an elated Bhansali told PTI.
Shreya Ghoshal won the best female playback award for her song Mayava Chaayavaa for the film Iravin Ninzhal.
The original screenplay honour went to Malayalam film Nayattu and its writer Shahi Kabir.
The Indira Gandhi Award for best debut film of a director went to Malayalam film Meppadiyan while the prize for best film on social issues was given to Assamese film Anunaad-the Resonance.
Shoojit Sircar’s biopic Sardar Udham Singh won the award for best Hindi film as well as honours for best cinematography (re-recording final mixing), best production design and costume design.
“I’m thankful that the National Award jury has acknowledged it (film), they have given so much respect and love to the film. A film on this kind of revolutionary, Sardar Udham, which includes Bhagat Singh, and the Jallianwala (Bagh massacre) incident, and it
somehow gets this recognition and respect. We remember films because of National Awards, and we also remember these films for a long time. I’m proud and honoured,” Sircar told PTI.
Pankaj Tripathi dedicates award to his late father
Tripathi dedicated the award to his father, who passed away recently.
Agnihotri, who is in the US, said he dedicated his award to victims of terrorism, especially Kashmiri Hindus.
The jury received 280 feature films in 28 languages were as entries. Asked about films releasing theatrically in 2022 winning the awards for 2021, Neerja Sekhar, Information and Broadcasting additional secretary, said, “As per the regulations, the eligible films were certified and released from 1st January 2021 to December 31, 2021.” (Agencies)