President Droupadi Murmu presided over the 70th National Film Awards

70th National Film Awards Highlights

President Droupadi Murmu Honors Cinema's Best

The 70th National Film Awards ceremony, held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, celebrated the pinnacle of Indian cinema from 2022. President Droupadi Murmu presided over the event, presenting awards to the distinguished winners.

Mithun Chakraborty Receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Legendary actor Mithun Chakraborty was awarded the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, marking a significant highlight of the evening. He received a standing ovation from the audience and delivered a heartfelt speech reminiscing about his career. Chakraborty humorously recalled how winning his first National Award for Mrigayaa (1976) made him feel like Al Pacino, until a producer's harsh feedback brought him back to reality.

Top Awards and Winners

Best Feature Film: Aattam (Malayalam), directed by Anand Ekarshi, who also won Best Screenplay.

Best Actor: Rishab Shetty for his performance in Kantara.

Best Actress: Shared by Nithya Menen for Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil) and Manasi Parekh for Kutch Express (Gujarati).

Best Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya for Uunchai.

Notable Achievements

Best Cinematography: Ravi Varman for Ponniyin Selvan: I.

Best Editing: Mahesh Bhuvanend for Aattam.

Best Music Direction (Background Music): AR Rahman for Ponniyin Selvan: I.

Best Action Direction: Anbariv for KGF: Chapter 2.

Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kantara.

Best Arts/Cultural Film (Non-Feature): Shared by Ranga Vibhoga (Kannada) and Varsa (Marathi).

Regional and Debut Awards

Best Debut Film of a Director: Pramod Kumar for Fouja (Haryanvi).

Best Non-Feature Film: Ayena directed by Siddhant Sarin.

Special Mention: Kadhikan (Malayalam) and Gulmohar (Hindi).

Manoj Bajpayee, known for his nuanced portrayals and deep commitment to his roles, received the National Award for his performance in the film Gulmohar under the Special Mention category. This award added another feather to Bajpayee’s already illustrious career, reinforcing his position as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema.

Ceremony Highlights

The event began with the national anthem and saw several industry legends walking the red carpet, including Manoj Bajpayee, Mithun Chakraborty, Sharmila Tagore, Rishab Shetty, and Neena Gupta. The ceremony concluded with the national anthem.

Government Announcements

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai, with land already allocated by the Maharashtra government.

Full Winners List

For a comprehensive list of all winners and more details on the 70th National Film Awards, visit the official social media accounts of the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

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