President gives away 53rd National Film Awards
SHRI SHYAM BENEGAL PRESENTED DADA SAHEB PHALKE AWARD
BEST ACTOR AWARD TO AMITABH BACHCHAN
DASMUNSI ANNOUNCES FIVE FOLD INCREASE IN AWARD AMOUNT FROM NEXT YEAR
The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh
Patil presented the 53rd National Film Awards to winners of different
categories at a function, late last evening. The legendary film director Shyam
Benegal received the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2005. Instituted in
1969, the Dada Saheb Phalke Award is given every year to a film personality for
outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. The Award
consists of a Swarna Kamal, a Shawl and cash prize of Rs two lakhs.
In her speech, the President exhorted the Indian film industry to be socially
responsible and committed to the cause of upholding human values. Cinema is the art of story telling and it should give expression
to the many untold stories that reside in the heart of our great nation that is
India. Full text of President’s speech
available on website i.e. http://presidentofindia.nic.in.
As suggested by the Hon’ble President,
the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri P.R.
Dasmunsi announced that the cash amount of awards would be raised five fold from
next year. In his address, Shri Dasmunsi
said that Indian cinema is gaining ground and recognition amongst the film viewers
of the world, especially those of Europe and Africa.
Indian movies can made a major break-through, in our cultural tie-up with
the rest of the world in a positive dimension.
In the fields of camera operation and photography some more competitive
understanding and advanced skills are required, if we compare us with Hollywood,
he added. Keeping this in view we signed a Joint Cooperation
Agreement with Germany and our Ministry is engaged in giving a final shape to
the agreement with UK, the Minister said. With a view to boost film exports, it is time now to have a Film
Export Development Council, which is to be constituted by the initiatives of FICCI
and with the Ministry of Commerce. The Minister said the issue of piracy is being
addressed and hoped that by the end of this year he would be able to provide a
positive direction in the matter. Digitilization
of the films, Joint Cooperation Agreements
with countries who will be helpful to India, etc. are our priority issues.
The Best Feature Film Award for the
year 2005 was given to the Bengali film “Kaalpurush – Memories in the Mist’’.
The Award carries a Swarna Kamal and Rs 50,000 each for Producer and Director
of the film. Swarna Kamal and cash prize of Rs 40,000 each for Producer and Director
for “Best Popular Film providing wholesale entertainment” was given to Hindi film
“Rang De Basanti”. Nargis Dutt Award for the Best Feature Film on National Integration
was presented to Malayalam film “Daivanamathil”. The Award carries Rajat Kamal
and cash prize of Rs 30,000 each for Producer and Director of the film. Indira
Gandhi Award for the Best First Film of a Director was given to “Parineeta” (Hindi)
directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The Award for the best film on social issues was
given to the Hindi film, “Iqbal”. The Award for the Best direction was bagged
by Rahul Dholakia for compelling documentation of contemporary human lives trapped
in difficult times of communal hatred and violence.
Best Actor Award was given to Amitabh Bachchan for his role in “Black”
for his dramatic rendition of reformed alchoholic who struggles to give a physically
handicapped child a new life while the Award for Best Actress was given to Sarika
for her role in English film “Parzania”.
The Award for the Best Child Artist
was received by Sai Kumar for his role in Telugu film, “Bommalata – A Bellyful
of Dreams”. Naresh Iyer received the Award for the Best Male Playback Singer and
Shreya Ghoshal got the Best Female Playback singer award. The Special Jury Award
went to the actor Anupam Kher in Hindi film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara for an
outstanding performance that brings alive the plight of an alzheimer’s patient
who is alienated from the real world. The Best Film Critic Award was given to
Baradwaj Rangan for intelligent and reader-friendly reviews of popular cinema
with a depth of understanding of the form, a discernible passion for the medium
bulwarked consistently by a knowledge of the trends and touchstones of global
cinema.
RS/AS
(Release ID :31271)