69th National Film Awards 2023: Celebrating Excellence in Indian Cinema

Context: The 69th National Film Award Ceremony was held on October 17th in New Delhi.

What is the National Film Award?

National Film Award is a felicitation ceremony held every year to honor some of the best movies and associated artists and technicians.
Objective: The objective of the National Film Award is to honor films made across India, on a national scale, to encourage the development of Indian art and culture.
Administration: India Directorate of Film Festivals has administered the ceremony since 1973.
- It comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- The I&B Ministry covers mass communication media such as radio, television, films, press and print publications, advertising and traditional modes of communication

The National Film Awards: Celebrating Excellence in Indian Cinema Since 1954

National Film Award

Origin: National Film Awards were presented for the first time in 1954.
- It is given in two categories: feature film and non-feature film.
First Winners: Nargis was first actor to win Best Actress Award for her performance in Raat Aur Din while Uttam Kumar won the Best Actor Award for Antony Firingee and Chiriyakhana.
Jury: The juries for National Film Awards appointed by the Directorate of Film Festivals in India.
- The members are persons distinguished in the field of cinema, other allied arts and humanities.
- The Directorate was set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to organize national and international film festivals in India. o . In 2022, it was merged with the National Film Development Corporation.
- Apart from National Film Awards, the Directorate organizes the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama.
Eligibility of Films: To be eligible for consideration, the movie must be produced in India, and in the case of co-production involving a foreign entity, there are six conditions that have to be fulfilled for the film to qualify.
- For being eligible for consideration by the jury, a film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between 1 January and 31 December.
- The Feature Film jury will decide whether a film is considered a feature film or a non-feature film.
- There is also a section of rules determining which films shall not be eligible for entry in the competition.

The National Film Awards and the Legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke in Indian Cinema

National Film Award: The National Film Award is categorized into Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Best Writing on Cinema.
- Apart from that, Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement is awarded to a film personality for the outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.
- The National Film Award includes a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs 1,000,000.
- The National Film Award was set up to honor Dadasaheb Phalke, who is popularly regarded as “the father of Indian cinema”. Devika Rani was the first recipient of the National Film Award.
Categorization: Six categories from the Feature Films section, two from the Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema sections are eligible for Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus Award).
- The rest of the categories of National Film Award are eligible for Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award).
- The Swarna Kamal category includes Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Film Providing Wholesale Entertainment, Best Debut Film of a Director, Best Children’s film and Best Animated Film.
- The Rajat Kamal Category includes acting and technical awards, including Best Actor/Actress, Best Playback Singer, Best Lyrics, Best Screenplay etc. It also includes the Nargis Dutt Award for the Best Feature Film on National Integration.

Winners of 69th National Film Awards 2023

Category of the National Film Award	Winner of the National Film Award for Different Category
Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Lifetime Achievement	Waheeda Rehman
Best Feature Film	Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
Best Popular Film	RRR
Best Children’s Film	Gandhi & Co.
Best Debut Film of a Director	Meppadiyan
Best Director	Nikhil Mahajan (Godavari)
Best Actor (Male)	Allu Arjun (Pushpa: The Rise)
Best Actress (Female)	Alia Bhatt (Gangubai Kathiawadi) Kriti Sanon (Mimi)
Best Supporting Actor	Pankaj Tripathi (Mimi)
Best Supporting Actress	Pallavi Joshi (The Kashmir Files)
Best Child Artist	Bhavin Rabari (Chhello Show)
Best Playback Singer (Male)	Kaala Bhairava (Komuram Bheemudo – RRR)
Best Playback Singer (Female)	Shreya Ghoshal (Mayava Chayava – Iravin Nizhal)
Nargis Dutt Award for the Best Feature Film on National Integration	The Kashmir Files
Best Cinematographer	Avik Mukhopadhyay (Sardar Udham)
Best Screenplay (Original)	Shahi Kabir (Nayattu)
Best Screenplay (Adapted)	Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Utkarshini Vashishtha (Gangubai Kathiawadi)
Best Lyrics	Chandra Bose (Dham Dham Dham)
Best Music Director (Songs)	Devi Sri Prasad (Pushpa: The Rise)
Best Music Director (Background Music)	MM Keeravaani (RRR)
Best Film on Social Issues	Anunaad – The Resonance
Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation	Aavasavyuham

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National Film Awards FAQs

The National Film Awards 2023 was the 69th edition. The National Film Award ceremony is held every year to honor some of the best movies and associated artists and technicians.

National Film Awards were presented for the first time in 1954. It is given in two categories: feature film and non-feature film.

Nargis was first actor to win Best Actress Award for her performance in Raat Aur Din while Uttam Kumar won the Best Actor Award for Antony Firingee and Chiriyakhana.

The National Film Award is categorized into Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Best Writing on Cinema. Six categories from the Feature Films section, two from the Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema sections are eligible for Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus Award).

- To be eligible for consideration, the movie must be produced in India, and in the case of co-production involving a foreign entity, there are six conditions that need to be fulfilled in order for the film to qualify. - A film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between 1 January and 31 December.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement was given to Waheeda Rehman.

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69th National Film Awards 2023: Celebrating Excellence in Indian Cinema

What is the National Film Award?

The National Film Awards: Celebrating Excellence in Indian Cinema Since 1954

The National Film Awards and the Legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke in Indian Cinema

Winners of 69th National Film Awards 2023

National Film Awards FAQs

What is the Latest Edition of the National Film Awards?

When was the First National Awards Given?

Who were the First Winners of the National Film Award?

In Which Categories are the Awards Given?

What are the Eligibility Conditions to be Fulfilled for the Movies to be Considered for National Film Award?

Who won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2023?

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