The winners of the highly anticipated 70th National Film Awards were announced by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This prestigious event aims to honor and celebrate the best of Indian cinema. Notably, films that were released in the year 2022 were eligible for this year’s awards. It’s worth mentioning that the schedule has been impacted due to the pandemic, with the awards running a year behind.
The jury for the National Film Awards 2024 included some notable names from the industry. Rahul Rawail served as the Chairperson of the Feature Film Jury, Nila Madhab Panda as the Chairperson of the Non-Feature Film Jury, and Mr. Gangadhar Mudalair held the position of Chairperson for the Best Writing on Cinema Jury. This diverse jury meticulously reviewed all entries to come up with the final list of winners.
In the Feature Film Category, the laudable film “Aattam” directed by Aanand Ekarshi claimed the title of Best Film. The direction prowess of Sooraj R Barjatya for “Uunchai” earned him the accolade for Best Direction. The title of Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment went to “Kantara,” a film by Rishab Shetty that received widespread acclaim for its engaging content.
Pramod Kumar’s debut effort “Fouja” was recognized as the Best Debut Film of a Director. In what turned out to be a notable victory, Rishabh Shetty was named Best Actor for his role in “Kantara.” The Best Actress award was shared by two outstanding performers, Nithya Menen for “Thiruchitrambalam” and Manasi Parekh for “Kutch Express.”
In the supporting categories, Pavan Raj Malhotra’s stellar performance in “Fouja” earned him the Best Supporting Actor award, while Neena Gupta was celebrated as the Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Uunchai.” Young talent also got its due recognition with Sreepath winning the Best Child Artist award for “Malikappuram.”
The visual excellence of films was also acknowledged with Ravi Varman taking home the award for Best Cinematography for “Ponniyin Selvan 1.” Anand Ekarshi was celebrated for Best Screenplay for “Aattam,” showcasing his exceptional writing skills. The Best Dialogue Writer award was given to Arpita Mukherjee and Rahul V Chittela for their work in “Gulmohar.”
Production quality was another highlight of the awards. Ananda Addhya secured the Best Production Design award for his work in “Aparajito.” The Best Action Choreography award went to Anbariv for the spectacular action sequences in “KGF Chapter 2,” and Somnath Kundu was honored as the Best Make-Up Artist for “Aparajito.” The intricate costume designs in “Kutch Express” by Niki Joshi earned her the Best Costume Design award.
In terms of musical talent, Pritam was recognized for Best Music Direction for Songs in “Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva,” and AR Rahman wowed audiences with his Background Scores in “Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1,” receiving the award for Best Music Direction for Background Scores.
. Naushad Sadar Khan’s lyrics for the song “Salaami” in “Fouja” earned him the Best Lyrics award. Arijit Singh’s rendition of “Kesariya” in “Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva” won him the award for Best Male Playback Singer, while Bombay Jayashri was named Best Female Playback Singer for her song “Chaayum Veyil” in “Saudi Vellakka CC 225/2009.”
Choreography was another area where talent shone brightly. Jani Master and Sathish Krishnan won the Best Choreography award for the song “Megham Karukatha” in “Thiruchitrambalam.” In the technical field, Anand Krishnamoorthy’s work on sound design for “Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1” earned him the Best Sound Design award, and Mahesh Bhuvanend received the Best Editing award for “Aattam.”
Special Jury Awards were also presented this year. Renowned actor Manoj Bajpayee received the Special Jury Award for his role in “Gulmohar,” while Sanjoy Chowdhury was honored for his contribution to “Kadhikan.”
Regional cinema was also given its due, with awards presented to the best films in various languages: “Emuthi Puthi” (Assamese), “Kaberi Antardhan” (Bengali), “Gulmohar” (Hindi), “KGF: Chapter 2” (Kannada), “Saudi Vellakka CC 225/2009” (Malayalam), “Vaalvi” (Marathi), “Sikaisal” (Tiwa), “Daman” (Odia), “Baghi Di Dhee” (Punjabi), “Ponniyin Selvan Part 1” (Tamil), and “Karthikeya 2” (Telugu). “Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva” won the Best Film for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comic. “Kutch Express” was honored as the Best Feature Film promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values.
In the Non-Feature Film category, the accolades were equally spread. “Ayena” by Siddhant Sarin won the Best Non-Feature Film award, while “Murmurs of the Jungle” by Sahil Vaidya was named the Best Documentary. Miriam Chandy Menacherry received the Best Non-Feature Film Direction award for “From The Shadow.”
The awards for Best Script, Best Narration/Voice Over, Best Animated Film, Best Editing, and Best Sound Design were given to “Mono No Aware” by Koushik Sarkar, Sumant Shinde for “Murmurs Of The Jungle,” “A Coconut Tree” by Joshy Benedict, Suresh URS for “Madhyantara,” and Manas Choudhury for “Yaan,” respectively. Siddharth Diwan was lauded with Best Cinematography for “Mono No Aware.”
The Best Short Film award went to “Xunyota” by Nabapan Deka, while “Madhyantara” by Basti Dinesh Shenoy was celebrated as the Best Debut Film of a Director. Vishal Bharadwaj’s work in “Fursat” earned the award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction.
In the Arts and Culture category, “Ranga Vibhoga” by Suneel Narasimhachar Puranik and “Varsa” by Sachin Balasaheb Suryawanshi stood out, winning the Best Arts and Culture Film award. The category for Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film was taken by “Aanaki Ek Mohenjo Daro” by Ashok Rane. The award for Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values went to “On The Brink Season 2: Gharial” by Akansha Sood Singh. Special Mentions were given to “Birubala” by Aimee Baruah and “Hargila – The Greater Adjutant Stork” by Partha Sarathi Mahant.
In the Best Writing on Cinema segment, “Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography” by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar was recognized as the Best Book On Cinema. Deepak Dua was honored as the Best Film Critic (Hindi).
The announcement of these awards celebrates the exceptional talent and creativity present in the Indian film industry, highlighting contributions that have left an indelible mark on audiences and critics alike.
