The winners of the 70th National Film Awards were announced on Friday, August 16, 2024. This prestigious event celebrated outstanding achievements in Indian cinema across various categories. Notably, Rishab Shetty emerged as the Best Actor for his exceptional performance in the film Kantara, while KGF Chapter 2 bagged the award for Best Kannada Film.
Major Highlights of the 70th National Film Awards
- Best Feature Film: The Malayalam film Attam won the top honor as the Best Feature Film, standing out among a competitive lineup.
- Best Hindi Film: Gulmohar, a Hindi film, clinched the award for Best Hindi Film, further establishing its place in the cinematic world.
- Best Director: Sooraj Barjatya was honored with the Best Director award for his work on the film Uunchai.
Top Acting Honors
- Best Actor: Rishab Shetty’s powerful performance in Kantara earned him the Best Actor award. His portrayal in the film has been widely praised for its depth and intensity.
- Best Actress: The Best Actress award was shared by two talented performers, Nithya Menon for Thiruchitrambalam and Manasi Parekh for Kutch Express.
- Special Mention (Best Actor): Manoj Bajpayee received a Special Mention for his role in the series Gulmohar, acknowledging his remarkable contribution to the craft.
Musical Excellence
- Best Music Director (Background): The legendary A.R. Rahman won the Best Music Director award for his background score in Ponniyin Selvan 1.
- Best Music Award: Pritam received the award for Best Music for his work in Brahmastra Part 1.
- Best Lyrics Award: Naushad Sadar Khan’s lyrics for the Haryanvi film Fauja were recognized with the Best Lyrics Award.
Popular Films and Regional Cinema
- Best Popular Film: Rishabh Shetty’s Kantara also won the Best Popular Film Award, adding another accolade to its success.
- Best Kannada Film: KGF Chapter 2 was awarded Best Kannada Film, continuing its legacy of success from the first installment.
- Best Tamil Film: Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 took home the award for Best Tamil Film, along with other technical awards.
- Best Telugu Film: Karthikeya 2 emerged as the Best Telugu Film, reflecting its popularity and critical acclaim.
Technical and Creative Excellence
- Best Stunt Choreography: KGF Chapter 2 also won the Best Stunt Choreography award, thanks to the high-octane action sequences choreographed by Anbariv.
- Best Editing: The Malayalam film Attam secured the Best Editing award, recognizing its crisp and engaging narrative style.
- Best Production Design: Aparajito won Best Production Design, further showcasing the film’s attention to detail in recreating historical settings.
- Best Sound Design: Ponniyin Selvan 1 was also recognized for its outstanding sound design, which played a crucial role in immersing audiences in its epic tale.
Awards in Animation and VFX
- Best Film Animation-Visual Effects: Brahmastra Part 1 was awarded Best Film Animation-Visual Effects, highlighting its groundbreaking work in the field of visual effects in Indian cinema.
Performance in Supporting Roles
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Neena Gupta’s performance in Uunchai won her the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award, adding another feather to her illustrious cap.
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Pawan Raj Malhotra was recognized for his role in the Haryanvi film Fauja, winning Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Recognizing Talented Singers and Lyricists
- Best Playback Singer (Female): Bombay Jayshree was awarded Best Playback Singer (Female) for her work in Saudi Vellakka.
- Best Playback Singer (Male): Arijit Singh took home the Best Playback Singer (Male) award for his song in Kesari and Brahmastra.
Honoring Child Artists
- Best Child Artist: Young talent Sripath was recognized as the Best Child Artist for his role in the film Malikapuram.
Special Mentions
- Best Book on Cinema: Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography by Anuradha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar won the award for Best Book on Cinema.
- Special Mention (Music): Sanjay Salil Chowdhary received a Special Mention for his contributions to music.
The 70th National Film Awards have once again highlighted the diversity and richness of Indian cinema, celebrating films that have made significant cultural impacts across languages and regions.
