Film awards in India
The 44th National Film Awards , presented by Directorate of Film Festivals , the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1996.[1] The awards were announced on 6 May 1997,[2] and presented in July.
Awards
Awards were divided into feature films, non-feature films and books written on Indian cinema.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Introduced in 1969, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest award given to recognise the contributions of film personalities towards the development of Indian cinema and for distinguished contributions to the medium, its growth and promotion.[3]
Feature films
Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 44th National Film Awards, a Bengali film , Lal Darja won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film , whereas a Tamil film , Minsara Kanavu won the maximum number of awards (4). Following were the awards given in each category:[1]
Juries
A committee headed by T. Subbarami Reddy was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members:[1]
All India Award
Following were the awards given:[1]
Golden Lotus Award
Official Name: Swarna Kamal[1]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
Silver Lotus Award
Official Name: Rajat Kamal[1]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
Name of Award
Name of Film
Language
Awardee(s)
Cash Prize
Best Feature Film on National Integration
Kanakkinavu
Malayalam
Producer: P. V. Gangadharan Director: Sibi Malayil
₹ 30,000/- Each
Citation: For its brilliant and bold approach to National Integration and the futility of division in the name of religion.
Best Film on Family Welfare
Latthi
Bengali
Producer: Robin Agarwal Director: Prabhat Roy
₹ 30,000/- Each
Citation: For focusing on the plight of the seniors in the society and how a determined group of pensioners transform the power relations in a family, in a wholesome manner.
Best Film on Other Social Issues
Tamanna
Hindi
Producer: Pooja Bhatt Director: Mahesh Bhatt
₹ 30,000/- Each
Citation: For depicting the selfless dedication and love of eunuchs for an abandoned child.
Best Actor
Indian
Tamil
Kamal Haasan
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For his double role in the film. His remarkable range in the entire diverse roles shows his excellent calibre as an actor.
Best Actress
Maachis
Hindi
Tabu
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For sensitive portrayal of a woman trapped in the vortex of conflicts.
Best Supporting Actor
Agni Sakshi
Hindi
Nana Patekar
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For his brilliant performance as an obsessed husband.
Best Supporting Actress
Sardari Begum
Urdu
Rajeshwari Sachdev
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For her role in the film, in which she depicts the aspirations and agony of a lonely teenage girl.
Best Child Artist
Little Soldiers
Telugu
Kavya
₹ 5,000/- Each
Citation: For her excellent performance.
Desadanam
Malayalam
Kumar
Citation: For his excellent performance.
Best Male Playback Singer
Minsara Kanavu ("Thanga Thamarai")
Tamil
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For his brilliant rendering of the song.
Best Female Playback Singer
Minsara Kanavu ("Mana Madurai")
Tamil
K. S. Chithra
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For her soulful rendering of the song.
Best Cinematography
• Adajya • Rag Birag
Assamese
Cameraman : Mrinal Kanti DasLaboratory Processing : Prasad Film Laboratories
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For his versatile, imaginative and superb combinations and mood lighting.
Best Screenplay
Kadhal Kottai
Tamil
Agathiyan
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For tightly knit and smooth flowing plot with excellent dialogues and razor-sharp tuning.
Best Audiography
Desadanam
Malayalam
Krishnan Unni
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For excellent use and blending of ambient sound with superb effects, appropriate to the spirit depicted in the film.
Best Editing
Rag Birag
Assamese
A. Sreekar Prasad
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For slickly editing with imagination, setting the pace and flow of the story.
Best Art Direction
Indian
Tamil
Thotta Tharani
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For erection of sets and selection of locations perfectly retaining the period depicted in the story and enhancing the huge canvas of the film.
Best Costume Design
Kulam
Malayalam
M. Dandapani
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For creating beautiful costumes that are authentic to the period depicted in the film.
Best Music Direction
Minsara Kanavu
Tamil
A. R. Rahman
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For innovative compositions breaking all traditions, entering into new era.
Best Lyrics
Saaz
Hindi
Javed Akhtar
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For its poetic and traditional expression.
Best Special Effects
Indian
Tamil
S. T. Venki
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For recreation of the period images and also for combining new footage with stock footage.
Best Choreography
Minsara Kanavu ("Vennilavae Vennilavae" and "Strawberry Kannae")
Tamil
Prabhu Deva
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For sensual body language is par excellence and appropriate to unique choreographic patterns.
Special Jury Award
Daayraa
Hindi
Amol Palekar (Director)
₹ 12,500/- Each
Citation: For the sensitive handling of a challenging theme laying bare the agony and courage of a neglected and marginalised section of our society.
Sardari Begum
Urdu
Kirron Kher (Actor)
Citation: For superb depiction of a dynamic person who breaks shackles of society and achieves excellence in her chosen profession.
Special Mention
Sanghat
Bengali
Dolon Roy (Actress)
Certificate Only
Citation: For her performance in the film.
Adajya
Assamese
Bhagirathee (Actress)
Citation: For her performance in Durga's role in the film.
Regional Awards
The award is given to best film in the regional languages in India.[1]
Name of Award
Name of Film
Awardee(s)
Cash Prize
Best Feature Film in Assamese
Adajya
Producer: Nayan Prasad Director: Santwana Bardoloi
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For a subtle and sensitive exploration of loneliness trauma and coverage of 3 widows caught in the complex web of ritualistic beliefs.
Best Feature Film in Bengali
Sanghat
Producer: Pinaki Chaudhuri Director: Pinaki Chaudhuri
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For effectively bringing out the trials and tribulations faced by working women in contemporary society.
Best Feature Film in Hindi
Gudia
Producer: Amit Khanna and Mahesh Bhatt Director: Gautam Ghose
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For an unusual exploration into the lives of traditional entertainers and the entwined relationships between the animate and inanimate players that develop into an obsession.
Best Feature Film in Kannada
America! America!!
Producer: G. Nandakumar Director: Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For mature handling of a deftly written script set in USA and India holding up love for one's own country and cultural values.
Best Feature Film in Malayalam
Desadanam
Producer: Jayaraj Director: Jayaraj
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For depicting in an excellent manner the conflicts between love, traditional bonds and duties, arising out of religious beliefs.
Best Feature Film in Marathi
Rao Saheb
Producer: K. B. Joshi and Ravindra Surve Director: Sanjay Surkar
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For depicting the struggle for power of ambitious politicians in a most effective manner.
Best Feature Film in Oriya
Shunya Swaroopa
Producer: Alaya Kumar Mohanty Director: Himanshu Sekhar Khatua
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For a beautifully photographed film depicting the conflicts of a layman floundering in the world of sanyasias.
Best Feature Film in Tamil
Kadhal Kottai
Producer: D. Pandian Director: Agaththian
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For a charming love story with unusual twists and turns of fate told in an interesting manner with good production values.
Best Feature Film in Telugu
Ninne Pelladutha
Producer: Nagarjuna Director: Krishna Vamsi
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For the innovative way in which a family drama with the contemporary theme is handled.
Best Feature Film in Urdu
Sardari Begum
Producer: Amit Khanna and Mahesh Bhatt Director: Shyam Benegal
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For excellent recreation of an era and showing dedication of an artist to music that defies all orthodox and conservative values.
Non-Feature Films
Short Films made in any Indian language and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification as a documentary/newsreel/fiction are eligible for non-feature film section.
Juries
A committee headed by N. S. Thapa was appointed to evaluate the non-feature films awards. Following were the jury members:[1]
Golden Lotus Award
Official Name: Swarna Kamal[1]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
Name of Award
Name of Film
Language
Awardee(s)
Cash Prize
Best Non-Feature Film
Sham's Vision
English
Producer: Manu Grover Director: Shaji N. Karun
₹ 20,000/- Each
Citation: For its moving portrayal of an artist's rich inner vision which lights his outer world of darkness.
Silver Lotus Award
Official Name: Rajat Kamal[1]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)' and cash prize.
Name of Award
Name of Film
Language
Awardee(s)
Cash Prize
Best First Non-Feature Film
Yeh Woh Sahar To Nahin
Hindi
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India Director: Sudhakar Rao
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For its imaginative use of sound and visuals to capture the undercurrents of human response to outer tensions.
Best Biographical Film
Hastir Kanya
Assamese
Producer: Digbijay Medhi Director: Prabin Hazarika
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For exploring the world of Goalpariya folk music through the life of singer Pratima Borooah Pandey of Gauripur, Assam.
Best Arts / Cultural Film
Nauka Charitramu
English
Producer: Saroj Satyanarayan Director: Saroj Satyanarayan
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For its innovative cinematic portrayal of three women musicians of Carnatic tradition.
Best Film on Social Issues
Silent Screams: A Village Chronicle
English
Producer: Jose Sebastián Director: O. K. Johnny
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For highlighting with sensitivity and sincerity, the agony of the tribal woman of Thrinelli, Kerala.
Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film
Rabia Chalikkunnu
Malayalam
Producer: Abraham Benhur Director: Ali Akbar
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For its credible and inspiring portrayal of a young girl who overcomes her physical and social disabilities and becomes a role model for society.
Best Investigative Film
N. M. No. 309 Bhiwandi Tragedy
English
Producer: Yash Chowdhary Director: V. Packiri Swamy
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For the exploration of the issue of health hazards faced by migrant industrial workers.
Best Animation Film
The Lost Horizon
Only music
Producer: Arun Gongade Director: Arun Gongade Animator: Arun Gongade
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For its creative synthesis of animation with Warli folk art in conveying a vital environmental message.
Best Short Fiction Film
Vidiyalai Nokki
Tamil
Producer: F and T, V. T. I. N. Chennai Director: P. Venkatesh
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For making an eloquent statement on the gift of sight.
Athmeeyam
Malayalam
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India Director: Nandakumar Kavil
Citation: For presenting a traditional artist's inner rebellion against the denial of his creative identity.
Best Film on Family Welfare
Bhit
Bengali
Producer: Films Division and K. R. G. Films Director: Glbahar Singh
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For its credible depiction of a rural health worker's efforts in transforming her community.
Best Cinematography
Sham's Vision
English
Cameraman : Hari NairLaboratory Processing : Prasad Film Lab
₹ 10,000/- Each
Citation: For his brilliant use of light and shade, to bring to life even inanimate objects in the film.
Best Audiography
Tat Tvam Asi
Hindi and English
Nihar R. Samal
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For his restrained, balanced and multi-layered soundtrack.
Best Editing
Nauka Charitramu
English
A. Sreekar Prasad
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For knitting together harmoniously into an unbroken visual flow in the film.
Special Jury Award
Dhatu Jhar '96
Bengali
Nilotpal Majumdar (Producer, Director and Cinematographer )
₹ 10,000/-
Citation: For his bold and experimental exploration of the dilemma between discovery and destruction.
Best Writing on Cinema
The awards aim at encouraging study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of this art-form through publication of books, articles, reviews etc.
Juries
A committee headed by Khalid Mohamed was appointed to evaluate the writing on Indian cinema. Following were the jury members:[1]
Golden Lotus Award
Official Name: Swarna Kamal[1]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)' and cash prize.
Name of Award
Name of Book
Language
Awardee(s)
Cash Prize
Best Book on Cinema
The Eye of the Serpent
English
Author: S. Theodore Baskaran Publisher: East West Books Pvt. Ltd.
₹ 15,000/- Each
Citation: For the methodically researched books on Tamil films which informs and enlightens the reader about one of the most prolific cinemas of our country which has kept re-defining itself over the decades.
Best Film Critic
M. K. Raghavendra
₹ 15,000/-
Citation: For his provocative and iconoclastic writing, which inspires debate and discussion, so rare in film criticism today.
Awards not given
Following were the awards not given as no film was found to be suitable for the award:[1]
References
External links
Lifetime Achievement Feature Films
Golden Lotus Awards Silver Lotus Awards
Silver Lotus Awards (Regional)
Discontinued Awards
Non-Feature Films
Golden Lotus Awards Silver Lotus Awards
Discontinued Awards
Writing on Cinema
Golden Lotus Awards Special Awards
Awards by year
1953–1960 1961–1980 1981–2000 2001–2020 2021–present