The National Awards are the most prestigious film awards in India, and rightfully so. Every year, hundreds of films from all over India vie for the top prize. This edition, Corporate Citizen brings you the big winners from the 65th National Awards ceremony held in the national capital recently
Village Rockstars is an Assamese language coming-of-age film, written and directed by Rima Das, in which Dhunu (Bhanita Das) is the protagonist amidst a group of real village rock stars. Growing up in depravation, she learns to manage her life within surroundings of hostile natural calamities and dreams of owning a guitar! The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2017. Apart from bagging the National Award for Best Feature Film, Village Rockstars also won awards in three other categories, Best Child Artist, Best Location Sound Recordist and Best Editing.
Jayaraj may not be very well-known all over India, but he is a legend in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for fusing commercial and art films and is successful in both genres. Notable in his early career were Kudumbasamethan (1992), Paithrukam (1993) and Sopanam (1993). Paithrukam was critically acclaimed but was subject to criticism for its conservative, religious philosophy. Desadanam (1997) was a milestone in his career. With the film, he was considered a serious film-maker by the critics. It was followed by another critically acclaimed film, Kaliyattam (1997) which was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello. It also won him the National Film Award for Best Direction. So far, he is a six-time recipient of the National Film Award and several Kerala State Film Awards.
What can be said about the legendary Sridevi, whose career spanned over 50 years, other than that this National Award has been due for a long time. Sridevi has had one of the most illustrious careers of any Indian actress, and one which included huge commercial films like Mr. India (1987), Chandni (1989) and Himmatwala (1983) as well as critically acclaimed films like English Vinglish (2012) and Mom (2017). In Mom, she plays a 21st century mom, who is loving and caring but not helpless. She is love and kindness personified in one moment but can turn into Maa Durga the very next to fight the demons of society and protect her children. The only sad part about this award is that Sridevi received it posthumously and not while she was amongst us.
Riddhi Sen is an acclaimed method actor from Bengal. He is a regular actor of the theatre group Swapnasandhani, and has picked up most of his acting chops from doing theatre itself. He has received critical acclaim in the past for his performances in Parched, Bhoomi and Chauranga. Nagar Kirtan is a transgender love story, which, as you can imagine, is an extremely sensitive subject in India. To essay the role of a transgender in a poignant way without caricaturing it takes courage and real acting prowess, which Riddhi has displayed brilliantly.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Vinod Khanna
Best Director: Jayaraj for Bhayanakam (Malayalam)
Best Feature Film: Village Rockstars (Assamese)
Best Actor: Ridhhi Sen for Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)
Best Actress: Sridevi for Mom (Hindi)
Best Supporting Actor: Fahadh Faasil for Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (Malayalam)
Best supporting actress: Divya Dutta for Irada (Hindi)
Best Action Direction: Baahubali 2 (Telugu)
Best Choreography: Ganesh Acharya for Toilet: Ek Prem Katha
Best Film for National Integration: Dhappa (Marathi)
Best Popular Film: Baahubali 2 (Telugu)
Best Debut Film of Director: Pampally for Sinjar (Jasari)
Best film on Social Issues: Aalorukkam (Malayalam)
Best Child Artist: Bhanita Das for Village Rockstars (Assamese)
Best Children’s Film: Mhorkya (Marathi)
Best Cinematography: Nikhil S Praveen for Bhayanakam (Malayalam)
Best Special Effects: Baahubali 2 (Telugu)
Special Jury Award: Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)
Best Film Critic: Giridhar Jha Special Mention for Film
Criticism: Sunil Mishra of Madhya Pradesh
Special Mention: Mhorkya (Marathi) Hello Arsi (Odiya) Take Off (Malayalam) Pankaj Tripathi for Newton (Hindi) Malayalam actor Parvathy
Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation: Irada (Hindi)
Kaccha Limbu (Marathi)
Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (Malayalam)
Newton (Hindi)
Mayurakshi (Bengali)
Ishu (Assamese)
To Let (Tamil)
Gazi (Telugu)
DHH (Gujarati)
Hebbettu Ramakka (Kannada)
Sinjar (Jasari)
Hello Arsi (Odiya)
Walking With The Wind (Ladakhi)
Paddayi (Tulu)
Best Lyrics: Muthu Ratna for March 22 (Kannada)
Best Music Direction (Songs): A.R. Rahman for Kaatru Veliyidai (Tamil)
Best Music Direction (Background score): A.R. Rahman for Mom (Hindi)
Best Location Sound Recordist: Mallika Das, Village Rockstars (Assamese)
Best Sound Design: Walking With The Wind (Ladakhi)
Best Female Playback Singer: Shasha Tirupati for Vaan Varuvaan from Kaatru Veliyidai (Tamil)
Best Male Playback Singer: Yesudas for Poy Maranja Kalam fromViswasapoorvam Mansoor (Malayalam)
Best Make-up Artist: Ram Razak for Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)
Best Production Design: Santosh Rajan for Take Off (Malayalam)
Best Editing: Reema Das for Village Rockstars (Assamese)
Best Costume: Gobinda Mandal for Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)
Best Original Screenplay: Sajeev Pazhoor for Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (Malayalam)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jairaj for Bhayankam (Malayalam)
Best Dialogue: Sambit Mohanty for Hello Arsi (Odiya)
by Neeraj Varty
