Hansal Mehta wins Best Director award for biopic ‘Shahid.’
By The American Bazaar Staff
MUMBAI: The recipients of India’s 61st National Film Awards have been announced, and the list is populated by a mix of box-office blockbusters and smaller, critically acclaimed pictures.
The award for Best Feature Film went to Ship of Theseus, the Anand Gandhi-directed experimental film that follows the stories of a photographer, a monk, and a stockbroker as they come to terms with the meaning of life. Produced by Kiran Rao, the wife of Aamir Khan, the film did not generate much commercial business but was hailed as a huge step forward for Indian cinema by both domestic and international critics.
Best Debut Film of a Director went to Fandry, the Marathi film which has made a huge splash over the last several months and is now coming to the US for the New York Indian Film Festival and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. The film is about an inter-caste romance, and examines the roll of the supposedly outlawed caste system on modern India.
Bollywood super-hit Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, which swept the Filmfare Awards earlier this year, picked up the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, an award that, in the past, has been won by films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Lagaan, 3 Idiots, and Dabangg. The film is a biography of Indian track star Milkha Singh, and stars Farhan Akhtar as the famed athlete.
The Best Director award went to Hansal Mehta, who directed the film Shahid. Another biopic, the film depicts the life of Indian political revolutionary Shahid Azmi, and features a stunning lead performance by relatively newcomer Rajkumar Rao. Rao also picked up a National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance, shared with Malayalee actor Suraj Venjaramoodu for his performance in the fim Perariyathavar.
Best Actress was awarded to Geetanjali Thapa for the film Liar’s Dice, Best Supporting Actor went to Saurabh Shukla for the film Jolly LLB, and Best Supporting Actress was split between two actresses: Marathi actress Amruta Subhash (Astu), and Aida Elkasehf (Ship of Theseus).
Bollywood thriller Madras Café, which was a contender for India’s Academy Award submission last year, won two awards for its sound design, while Bhaag Milkha Bhaag won an additional award for Best Choreography. Both original and adapted screenplay prizes went to Kannada films, while Bengali, Telugu, and Marathi films made a very strong showing overall.
The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award – named after the man largely considered to be the father of Indian cinema, and created to honor an individual’s lifetime achievement in Indian film-making – was bestowed upon renowned writer, director poet, and lyricist Gulzar.
Each award comes with a cash prize, with Best Feature Film-winner Ship of Theseus winning the largest monetary prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, or roughly $4,200. Each winner of an acting reward will win Rs. 50,000 ($840), except where two people were recognized, in which cases the money will be split.