National Film Awards

Recently, the 70th National Film Awards were announced by the Government.

About: The National Film Awards are prestigious honours conferred annually for films produced in the previous year across India.
Established in: 1954
Award Selection Process: According to the Directorate of Film Festivals, the jury deciding the winners comprises “persons distinguished in the field of cinema, other allied arts and humanities”.
Presented by: They are presented by the President of India each year for the films of the preceding year.
History and Evolution
- Inception: The National Film Awards were first presented in 1954 as the ‘State Awards‘, initially recognizing the best films in about a dozen regional languages.
- Expansion: In 1968, the awards were expanded to include separate categories for artists and technicians.
Notable First Winners
- Best Actress: Nargis won the inaugural Best Actress Award for her role as a schizophrenia patient in Raat Aur Din.
- Best Actor: Uttam Kumar received the Best Actor Award for his performances in Antony Firingee and Chiriyakhana.
Current Categories
- Features: Awards given for achievements in feature films.
- Non-Features: Awards recognizing excellence in non-feature films.
- Best Writing on Cinema: Awards aimed at encouraging the study and appreciation of cinema as an art form.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award: The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is part of the National Film Awards.
- The Award is named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, the pioneering filmmaker who gave India its first film– ‘Raja Harishchandra’, in 1913.
- Honoured with the highest award in the field of cinema, the recipients are recognized for their ‘outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema’.

List of winners from the 70th National Film Awards

Feature film categories

Best Film – Aattam by Aanand Ekarshi
Best Direction – Sooraj R Barjatya for Uunchai
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Kantara by Rishab Shetty
Best Debut Film of a Director – Pramod Kumar for Fouja
Best Actor – Rishabh Shetty for Kantara
Best Actress – Nithya Menen for Thiruchitrambhalam and Manasi Parekh for Kutch Express
Best Supporting Actor – Pavan Raj Malhotra for Fouja
Best Supporting Actress – Neena Gupta for Uunchai
Best Child Artist – Sreepath for Malikappuram
Best Cinematography – Ravi Varmam for Ponniyin Selvan 1
Best Screenplay – Anand Ekarshi for Aatam
Best Feature Film promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values – Kutch Express by Viral Shah

Non-feature films categories

Best Non-Feature Film – Ayena by Siddhant Sarin
Best Documentary – Murmurs of the Jungle by Sahil Vaidya
Best Non-Feature Film Direction – Miriam Chandy Menacherry for From The Shadow
Best Script – Koushik Sarkar for Mono No Aware
Best Narration/Voice Over – Sumant Shinde for Murmurs Of The Jungle
Best Animated Film – A Coconut Tree by Joshy Benedict

Must Read
UPSC Daily Editorials	UPSC Daily Current Affairs
Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store	Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store
Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store	UPSC Test Series 2024
Daily Current Affairs Quiz	Daily Main Answer Writing
Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store