Brave Bollywood films sweep National Film Awards

Bollywood struck gold at the 60th National Film Awards, clinching major honours. Irrfan Khan won the best actor award for his role in Paan Singh Tomar, Annu Kapoor and Dolly Alhuwalia bagged the best supporting actor and actress awards for their performance in Vicky Donor.

Bollywood struck gold at the 60th National Film Awards announced on Monday, as the Hindi film industry clinched major honours. Irrfan won the best actor award for his role in Paan Singh Tomar, Annu Kapoor and Dolly Alhuwalia bagged the best supporting actor and actress awards for their performance in Vicky Donor, and the film itself won the award for Best Film — Wholesome Entertainment. Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui won a Jury award while actor Parineeti Chopra got a special mention for her role in Ishaqzaade.

Director Sujoy Ghosh bagged the award for the best original screenplay for his film Kahaani. Once perceived as an award that preferred to acknowledge regional and parallel cinema, over mainstream Bollywood, the National Awards seem to be taking Bollywood films seriously now.



"Earlier quality cinema only meant regional cinema. So Bollywood was looked down upon. But with the rich content that Bollywood films are dishing out, that perception has now changed," says trade analyst Joginder Tuteja. Agrees, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, "The kind of films we’ve made in the last year is phenomenal. No other industry (regional) has experimented so much and we are thankful for getting our long-awaited due."



This recognition has proved that content is indeed king, say filmmakers. "Regional cinema has always been high on content. Perhaps, that’s something which we couldn’t do in Hindi cinema before. Now we are changing," says Sujoy Ghosh, director of Kahaani. Adds, Ayushmann Khurrana who played the lead in Vicky Donor, "Our film was on a taboo subject and the win shows we have become progressive. It’s a welcome change." "These out-of-box Bollywood films are here to stay," feels Shoojit Sircar, director of Vicky Donor.



The award goes to

Best Feature Film: Paan Singh Tomar

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Popular film for wholesome entertainment: Vicky Donor and Ustad Hotel

Best Actor: Irrfan Khan (Paan Singh Tomar), Vikram Gokhale (Anumati)

Best Actress: Usha Jadhav for Marathi film, Dhag

Best Supporting Actress: Dolly Ahluwalia (Vicky Donor), Kalpana (Thanichalla Njan)

Best Supporting Actor: Annu Kapoor (Vicky Donor)

Best Female Playback Singer: Aarti Ankalikar-Tikekar for Marathi film, Samhita

Best Male playback singer: Shankar Mahadevan (Chittagong)

Best Music Direction: Shailender Barve (Samhita)

Best Director: Shivaji Lotan Patil, Dhag (Marathi)

Best Child Artist: Virendra Pratap (Dekh Indian Circus), Minon (101 Chodiyangal)

Best Dialogues: Anjali Menon (Ustad Hotel)

Best Choreography: Birju Maharaj (Vishwaroopam)

Best Art Direction: Lalgudi Ilayaraja (Vishwaroopam)

Best Special Effects: Eega

Best Costume Designer: Poornima (Paradesi)

Best film on social issues: Malayalam film, Spirit

Indira Gandhi award for Best Debut Film of a director: Chittagong, 101 Chodiyangal

Best Film on environment conservation: Malayalam film, Black Forest

Best Animation Film: Delhi Safari

Best Children’s Film: Dekh Indian Circus

Best Background Score: Kaliyachan

Best Audiography (Location Sound Artist): Radhakrishnan S (Annayum Rasoolum)

Best Audiography (Sound Designer): Anirban Sengupta and Dipankar Chaki (Shabdo)

Best Audiography (Re-recordist of the final mixed track): Alok De, Sinoy Joseph and Shreejesh Nair (Gangs of Wasseypur)

Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration: Thanichalla Njan

Best Cinematography: Ko:Yad

Special Jury Award: Rituparno Ghosh (Chitrangada), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Dekh Indian Circus and Talaash)

Best Hindi Film: Filmistan

Best Telugu Film: Eega

Best Assamese Film: Baandhon

Best Bengali Film: Shabdo

Best Gujarati Film: The Good Road

Best Kannada Film: Bharath Stores

Best Malayalam Film: Celluloid

Best Manipuri Film: Leipaklei

Best Marathi Film: Investment

Best Punjabi Film: Nabar

Best Tamil Film: Vazhakku Enn 18/9

Best Urdu Film: Harud

Best English Film: Lessons in Forgetting

Best Screenplay Writer: Sujoy Ghosh for Kahaani

Best Adapted Screenplay: OMG, Bhavesh Mandalia and Umesh Shukla

Best Editing: Kahaani

Best makeup artist: Raja for Vazhakku En 18/9

Best Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi for Chittagong

Special Mention: Parineeti Chopra wins for Ishaqzade, Thilakan for Ustad Hotel, Lal for Ozhimuri, HG Dattatreya for Bharat Stores, Bishnu Khargoria for Baandhon, Tannishtha Chatterjee for Dekh Indian Circus and Hansraj Jagtap for Dhag