Kulanandini Mahanta’s ‘Emuthi Puthi’ won the ‘Best Assamese Film’ Award at the 70th National Film Awards on Tuesday, while Aimee Baruah was conferred the award in the ‘Special Mention’ category for ‘Birubala “Witch to Padmashri”. In addition, Partha Sarathi Mahanta’s ‘Hargila-The Greater Adjutant Stork’ was also conferred with the National Film Award in the ‘Special Mention’ category.
Bobby Sarma Baruah directorial 'Sikaisal' or “if only trees could talk” won the Best Tiwa Film at the 70th National Film Awards.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Film Awards today with veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Sharing an anecdote in his speech, Mithun reflected on his first National Award for Mrigayaa (1976), a Mrinal Sen directorial, after which he thought of himself as Al Pacino. It took a slap from a producer to bring him back to reality, he noted humorously.
Meanwhile, Sooraj Barjatya won the Best Director Award for ‘Uunchai’, Malayali film ‘Aattam’ won the Best Feature Film, Rishab Shetty picked up the Best Actor Award for Kantara, while the film also won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Actresses Nithya Menen and Manasi Parekh won the Best Actress Award for ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ and ‘Kutch Express’ respectively.
AR Rahman won his seventh National Award for the Best Music Director for ‘Ponniyin Selvan 1’. Other notable winners included Manoj Bajpayee, who won the National Award in the special mention category for his film ‘Gulmohar’. Actress Neena Gupta won the Best Supporting Actress Award for ‘Uunchai’. Arijit Singh won the Best Male Playback Singer for ‘Kesariya’, while Bombay Jayashri won the Best Female Playback Singer Award.
Best Feature Film: Aattam (Malayalam)
Best Director: Sooraj Barjatya (Uunchai)
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kantara
Best Debut Film of a Director: Pramod Kumar, Haryanvi film Fouja
Best Actor: Rishab Shetty (Kantara)
Best Actress: Nithya Menen (Thiruchitrambalam) and Manasi Parekh (Kutch Express)
Best Supporting Actor: Pavan Raj Malhotra (Fouja)
Best Supporting Actress: Neena Gupta (Uunchai)
Best Child Artist: Sreepath (Malikappuram)
Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values: Gujarati film Kutch Express
Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic): Ayan Mukerji's Brahmastra
Best Screenplay: Anand Ekarshi (Aattam)
Best Music Director (Songs): AR Rahman (Ponniyin Selvan 1)
Best Music Direction (Background Music): Pritam (Brahmastra) and AR Rahman (Ponniyin Selvan 1)
Best Male Playback Singer: Arijit Singh (Kesariya, Brahmastra)
Best Female Playback Singer: Bombay Jayashri (Saudi Vellakka CC.225/2009)
Best Lyrics: Naushad Sadar Khan (Fouja)
Best Hindi Film: Gulmohar
Best Punjabi Film: Baghi Di Dhee
Best Kannada Film: KGF 2
Best Malayalam Film: Saudi Vellakka
Best Tamil Film: Ponniyin Selvan Part 1
Best Telugu Film: Karthikeya 2
Best Marathi Film: Vaalvi
Best Bengali Film: Kaberi Antardhan
Best Assamese Film: Emuthi Puthi
Best Odiya Film: Daman
Best Sound Design: Anand Krishnamoorthi (Ponniyin Selvan 1)
Best Choreography: Thiruchitrambalam
Best Cinematography: Ravi Varman (Ponniyin Selvan 1)
Best Costume Designer: Niki Joshi (Kutch Express)
Best Production Design: Aparajito
Best Editing: Aattam
Best Dialogues: Gulmohar
Special Mention: Manoj Bajpayee in Gulmohar
Best Non-feature film: Ayena (Mirror)
Best Direction (Non-feature film): From The Shadow
Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director: Madhyantara by Basti Dinesh Shenoy
Best Biographical Film: Aanakhi Ek Mohenjo Daro by Ashok Rane
Best Arts Films: Ranga Vibhoga (Kannada) and Varsa (Legacy)
Best Animation Film: A Coconut Tree by Joshy Benedict
Best Book on Cinema: Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography
Best Film Critic: Deepak Dua
Best Documentary: Murmurs of the Jungle
Best Music Direction for non-feature film: Vishal Bhardwaj (Fursat)
The National Film Awards ceremony faced a two-year postponement because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 69th edition recognized films that were released from January 1 to December 31, 2021. In the previous year, Madhavan's Rocketry took home the Best Feature Film award, while Nikhil Mahajan was honoured as Best Director for Godavari.
