Marathi film Deool and Byari, both dealing with man’s engagement with religion, shared the best feature film award while Vidya Balan was named the best actress at the 59th National Awards announced here today. Deool won its lead star Girish Kulkarni the National award for best actor at the awards where except for Balan, the awards in key categories went to regional films.
Directed by Umesh Kulkarni, Deool is a wonderfully authentic depiction of village life and a penetrating account of commercialisation of religion.”It is a great moment for us as we worked hard on the film for two years. It was a closely knit team. It is very encouraging for us who want to make movies without compromising on content. I am really happy for Girish. He is a very versatile and genuine actor,” Umesh told PTI.
Byari, the first feature film in the Byari language, conveys the trauma of a woman who has to deal with unjust religious strictures. Gurvinder Singh from Punjab won the best direction award for his film Anhe Ghorey Da Daan.
Tamil film Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai was named the best popular film while its lead Appu Kutty won the best supporting actor award. Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi was named the best supporting actress for her role in Manipuri film Phijigee Mani.
Onir’s I Am, a compilation four different stories about identity, was named the best Hindi film. The film also won in the best lyrics category for Amitabh Bhattacharya-written Agar Zindagi.”I am numb right now, this is so unexpected! It gives me so much strength to continue with such work. This award comes at a time when I was disheartened that I Am didn’t get due recognition. And now it has been noticed by the most prestigious award of our country,” said Onir.
The film’s star Sanjay Suri said, “The award is a double achievement for me as an actor and a producer. These awards are so out of reach and being acknowledged by them is a proud moment.” Bollywood films won in children’s film categories with Salman Khan’s Chillar Party bagging the best children film award while 10 kid stars from the film shared the best child artist award with Partho Gupte from Stanley Ka Dabba.
Vikas Behl and Manish Tiwari won the original screenplay award for Chillar Party, while the adapted screenplay award went to Avinash Deshpande Nigdi for Marathi film Shala.
Bosco-Caeser won the best choreography award for the song Senorita from Bollywood film Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara while Shah Rukh Khan starrer Ra.One was given the award for best special effects. Milan Luthria-directed The Dirty Picture shared best costume and make-up award with Marathi film Balgandharva.
The Indira Gandhi award for the best debut film of a director went to Tamil filmmaker Kumararaja Thiagarajan for his movie Aaranyakandam. Anjan Dutt won a special mention by the jury for his versatility while his film Ronjona Ami Aar Ashbona bagged the best Bengali film award. The Best music direction (songs) went to Neel Dutt for the same film while Mayookh Bhowmick won the best background score award for Bengali film Laptop.
“I am happy and overwhelmed, more so for my cast and everybody behind the film,” said Anjan. Award for best male playback singer went to Anand Bhate for Balgandharva, while Roopa Ganguly won the best female playback singer for the film Abosheyshey.
Abhishek Bachchan starrer Game, which tanked at the box office, won two technical awards – sound design (Baylon Fonseca) and re-recording (Hitendra Ghosh). Fonseca also won the national award for location sound recording in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Award for best editing went to Tamil film Aranyakandam (Pravin K L), while Bengali film Naukadubi won the best production design award.
The feature film jury was headed by actress Rohini Hattangady, while the chairperson for non-feature films jury was Ramesh Sharma. Vijaya Mulay headed the writing in cinema jury.
The number of entries have increased this year to 186 films across 19 languages in feature film category. The best feature film and best direction awards carry a Swarna Kamal and cash prize of Rs2,50,000 each. The best actor and actress get a Rajat Kamal and Rs50,000 each.
Best Kannada film award went to Kurmavatara, best Malayam film to Indian Rupee, best Dogri film award to Dille Ch Vasya Koi. Phijigee Mani won best Manipuri film, Shala was named the best Marathi film, the best Punjabi film award was won by Anhe Ghorey Da Daan, Vaagai Sooda Va. Byari star Mallika was given a special mention, as was Sherry for directing Malayalam film Adimadhyantham.
In the non-feature category, best film went to And We Play On (Hindi and English), produced and directed by Pramod Puwane. Manipuri film The Silent Poet won the best debut film of a director. The best book on cinema award went to RD Burman The Man, The Music while Manoj Barpujari won the Best film critic award.
