The 70th National Film Awards were announced on Friday. The Best Film Award was bagged by the Malayalam film Aattam (2023), directed by Anand Ekarshi, while Rishab Shetty won the Best Actor Award for Kantara (2022).
The Best Actress award, like last year was again shared between two, Nithya Menen for Thiruchitrambalam (2022) and Manasi Parekh for Kutch Express (2023). In 2023, Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon shared the award for Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) and Mimi (2021), respectively.
Here is the full list of winners at the 70th National Film Awards:
Feature Films
Best Film: Aattam (Malayalam)
Best Debut Film: Fouja (Haryanvi)
Best Film providing wholesome entertainment: Kantara (Kannada)
Best Feature Film promoting national, social, and environmental values: Kutch Express (Gujarati)
Best Film in AVGC: Brahmastra Part One: Shiva (Hindi)
Best Director: Sooraj Barjatya - Uunchai (Hindi)
Best Actor in Leading Role: Rishab Shetty - Kantara (Kannada)
Best Actress in Leading Role- Nithya Menen - Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil) and Manasi Parekh - Kutch Express (Gujarati)
Best Actor in Supporting Role: Neena Gupta - Uunchai (Hindi) and Pavan Raj Malhotra - Fouja (Gujarati)
Best Child Artiste: Sreepath - Malikappuram (Malayalam)
Best Action Direction: Anbariv - KGF Chapter 2 (Kannada)
Best Choreography: Jani Master, Sathish Krishnan - Thiruchitrambalam (Megham Karukatha) (Tamil)
Best Lyrics: Naushad Sadar Khan - Fouja (Salaami) (Gujarati)
Best Music Direction: Pritham (songs) - Brahmastra Part 1 (Hindi), AR Rahman (background music) – Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 (Tamil)
Best Makeup: Somnath Kundu - Aparajito (Bengali)
Best Costume Design: Niki Joshi - Kutch Express (Gujarati)
Best Production Design: Ananda Addhya - Aparajito (Bengali)
Best Editing: Mahesh Bhuvanend - Aattam (Malayalam)
Best Sound Design: Anand Krishnamoorthi - Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 (Tamil)
Best Screenplay: Anand Ekarshi (screenplay writer) - Aattam (Malayalam), Arpita Mukherjee and Rahul V Chittella (dialogues) - Gulmohar (Hindi)
Best Cinematography: Ravi Varman - Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 (Tamil)
Best Playback Singer: Bombay Jayshree - Saudi Vellakka CC 225/2009 (Chaayum Veyil) (Malayalam), Arijit Singh - Brahmastra Part 1 (Kesariya) (Hindi)
Best Tiwa Film: Sikaisal
Best Telugu Film: Karthikeya 2
Best Tamil Film: Ponniyin Selvan Part 1
Best Punjabi Film: Baghi Di Dhee
Best Odia Film: Daman
Best Malayalam Film: Saudi Vellakka CC 225/2009
Best Marathi Film: Vaalvi
Best Kannada Film: KGF Chapter 2
Best Hindi Film: Gulmohar
Best Bengali Film: Kaberi Antardhan
Best Assamese Film: Emuthi Puthi
Special mentions
Manoj Bajpayee (actor) - Gulmohar (Hindi)
Sanjay Salil Chowdhury (music director) - Kadhikan (Malayalam)
Non-Feature Films
Best Non-Feature Film: Ayena
Best Debut Film: Madhyantara
Best Biographical/Historical/Compilation Film: Aanakhi Ek Mohenjo Daro
Best Arts/Culture Film: Ranga Vibhoga/Varsa
Best Script: Mono No Aware
Best Narrator: Murmurs of the Jungle
Best Music Direction: Fursat
Best Editing: Madhyantara
Best Sound Design: Yaan
Best Cinematography: Mono No Aware
Best Direction: From the Shadow
Best Short Film: Xunyota
Best Animated Film: The Coconut Tree
Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values: On the Brink Season 2 – Gharial
Best Documentary: Murmurs of the Jungle
Film writing
Best Critic: Deepak Dua
Best Book on Cinema: Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography