The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee today conferred National Film awards for
the year 2016 in various categories at the 64th National Film Awards
Function held at Vigyan Bhawan here. Minister for Information &
Broadcasting, Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu and MoS I&B Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore
were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the 64th
National Film Awards represented a microcosm of India which celebrated the
diversity of languages, customs, religions and culture. Indian Cinema and its
diversity convey underlying spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, acceptance and
co-existence. The inherent strength of the unity inspite of diversity was our
cultural heritage which was inherited through ages.
While appreciating the Government’s initiative of creating a Film
Promotion Fund, the President said that initiative would promote and motivate
talented independent filmmakers to promote their work across the globe in
various International Film Festivals.
The
President also conferred this year’s Dada Saheb Phalke award to Shri
Kasinadhuni Viswanath, renowned film director and actor, for his outstanding
contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. A presenter
of classical and traditional art, music and dance, Shri K Viswanath had been a
guiding force in the Indian film industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information &
Broadcasting Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said that Indian cinema had remarkably
showcased the vast richness of our cultural diversity, our beautiful
landscapes, languages and had been a great unifying force in promoting national
integration. He also called upon all the stakeholders to reflect on the
creative, constructive and meaningful engagement through the medium of cinema. Care
and caution should be taken while depicting stories of tragedy.
Shri Naidu
while complementing the film industry stated that they had set their mind on
delivering excellence and promoting societal values. The film industry should
join hands to facilitate mission MODI (Making of Developed India) due to the
strong influence of cinema on our society and its values. He mentioned that the
movies that had won the awards focus on a variety of issues and themes ranging
from discrimination, love, historical relationships and relevant social
challenges. He added that the National Film Awards showcases our capacity to
set standards and to recognize the efforts of Indian filmmakers and artists who
achieve high of.
Speaking about the Films as a medium of communication, Shri Naidu
said that it was the most beautiful form of expression that encompassed a
multitude of visual arts such as music, dance and drama. It was also a medium
through which contemporary socio- economic, political and cultural issues of
individuals and society are showcased. The language of cinema is a universal
one. It has been a powerful tool to reach out to people transcending the
boundaries in society.
Shri Naidu also
congratulated the jury chairpersons and their teams who have brought out the
best of Indian cinema under one roof. The Feature Film Central panel was headed
by Shri Priyadarshan, an eminent Film filmmaker popularly known for his
Malayalam movie Kanchivaram. The Chairperson for Non – Feature Film Jury was
Shri Raju Mishra while the Chairperson for Writing Jury was Ms. Bhawana
Somaaya. The Most Film Friendly State award jury was chaired by Shri Radha
Krishna Jagarlamudi, a popular Director in Telugu film industry.
Some of the prominent winners in various categories for this year
National Film Awards included Kasaav in Best Feature Film category and
Fireflies in the Abyss in the Non-Feature Film Category. Ms. Sonam Kapoor was
awarded Special Mention Award in the Feature Films Category for her role in the
movie Neerja. Movies in the languages other than those specified in the VIII
Schedule of the constitution in the feature Film categories were also awarded.
The award for the best Moran Film was given to Haanduk while best Tulu film was
given to Madipu.
Best Film Critic award was given to G. Dhananjayan for his in
depth analysis on a wide range of topics such as film genres, brands, new
strategies in movie watching, taxation impact and ticket pricing. Special
Mention Award was given to the K.P. Jayashankar and Anjali Monteiro for the
book ‘A fly in the Curry’. Best Book on Cinema award was given to ‘Lata- Sur
Gatha’ authored by Yatindra Mishra.
Special Jury Award in the
Feature category was given to Mohanlal for his mastery in dealing with
characters of various shades with unparallel acting brilliance. Special Jury
Award in the Non-Feature category was given to ‘The Cinema Travellers’. This
year a new category ‘Best on-location Sound Recordist’ in the Non-Feature Film
section of the National Film Awards was also introduced. The state of Uttar
Pradesh was awarded the Most Film Friendly State award for implementing a
unique film policy.
CP/GV