The 66th National Film Awards were announced in Delhi and films like AndhaDun and Uri have featured among the big winners.
Sriram Raghavan directed AndhaDhun won the Best Hindi Film.
Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal were adjudged co-winners in the Best Actor category for their roles in AndhaDhun and Uri respectively.
Andhadhun which also starred Tabu and Radhika Apte revolves around a blind pianist who must report a murder that he witnessed. The film received was appreciated by fans as well as critics and did great business in China as well.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali won the best music director National Award for Padmaavat.
“Any recognition, and especially the one coming from the government, means a lot. It is chosen by the jury of very qualified and respected people. It encourages you to work harder. It is a pat on the back and an emotional moment,” said Bhansali.
While most Indian actors and actresses may not be bothered much about the several award functions that are held every year, they all respect the National film awards.
Shah Rukh Khan regrets not getting a National Film Award
Shah Rukh Khan regrets not winning a National Film Award despite giving so many blockbusters in Bollywood.
Shah Rukh Khan, addressing the opening ceremony of Kolkata International Film Festival, said he was invited to film festivals either to dance or say some nice words welcoming people, and not for any intellectual deliberations. It’s really unfortunate and sad, I have never got a national award.
SRK, in his younger days, would boast that he was the best actor in India. While SRK was giving hit after hit, one of his contemporaries Akshay Kumar was struggling to give a decent hit.
However, it seems the tides have turned.
Akshay Kumar today is seen in several socially relevant films, gets to do a variety of roles (including that of a villain opposite Rajinikanth) and has also won a National award for acting.
Akshay Kumar’s win sets the tongue wagging
Khiladi Akshay Kumar won the national award for his performances in Airlift and Rustom, beating the likes of Dangal (Aamir Khan) and Aligarh (Manoj Bajpayee). But because the award can be given only to one movie, Akshay Kumar was announced the winner for Rustom.
The jury was headed by director Priyadarshan, who has worked with Akshay on several movies in the past, and that did get the tongues wagging, but Priyadarshan made it clear that Akshay was chosen based on merit.
Priyadarshan did admit that the jury did not consider Aamir Khan (Dangal), because in the past, when his movie ‘Taare Zameen Par’ won the best film for Family Welfare, Aamir did not attend the ceremony. So this time, they wanted to give it to someone who would honor the award and whose performance was award-winning worthy.
Priyadarshan also said this year regional films (Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam) were much better than Bollywood movies.
