The President, Pranab Mukherjee today conferred National Film awards for the year 2016 in various categories at the 64th National Film Awards Function held at Vigyan Bhawan here. Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu and MoS I&B Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore were also present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the 64th National Film Awards represented a microcosm of India which celebrated the diversity of languages, customs, religions and culture. Indian Cinema and its diversity convey underlying spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, acceptance and co-existence. The inherent strength of the unity inspite of diversity was our cultural heritage which was inherited through ages.While appreciating the Government’s initiative of creating a Film Promotion Fund, the President said that initiative would promote and motivate talented independent filmmakers to promote their work across the globe in various International Film Festivals.The President also conferred this year’s Dada Saheb Phalke award to Shri Kasinadhuni Viswanath, renowned film director and actor, for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. A presenter of classical and traditional art, music and dance, Shri K Viswanath had been a guiding force in the Indian film industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information & Broadcasting Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said that Indian cinema had remarkably showcased the vast richness of our cultural diversity, our beautiful landscapes, languages and had been a great unifying force in promoting national integration. He also called upon all the stakeholders to reflect on the creative, constructive and meaningful engagement through the medium of cinema. Care and caution should be taken while depicting stories of tragedy.Shri Naidu while complementing the film industry stated that they had set their mind on delivering excellence and promoting societal values. The film industry should join hands to facilitate mission MODI (Making of Developed India) due to the strong influence of cinema on our society and its values. He mentioned that the movies that had won the awards focus on a variety of issues and themes ranging from discrimination, love, historical relationships and relevant social challenges. He added that the National Film Awards showcases our capacity to set standards and to recognize the efforts of Indian filmmakers and artists who achieve high of.Speaking about the Films as a medium of communication, Shri Naidu said that it was the most beautiful form of expression that encompassed a multitude of visual arts such as music, dance and drama. It was also a medium through which contemporary socio- economic, political and cultural issues of individuals and society are showcased. The language of cinema is a universal one. It has been a powerful tool to reach out to people transcending the boundaries in society.
Shri Naidu also congratulated the jury chairpersons and their teams who have brought out the best of Indian cinema under one roof. The Feature Film Central panel was headed by Shri Priyadarshan, an eminent Film filmmaker popularly known for his Malayalam movie Kanchivaram. The Chairperson for Non – Feature Film Jury was Shri Raju Mishra while the Chairperson for Writing Jury was Ms. Bhawana Somaaya. The Most Film Friendly State award jury was chaired by Shri Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi, a popular Director in Telugu film industry.Some of the prominent winners in various categories for this year National Film Awards included Kasaav in Best Feature Film category and Fireflies in the Abyss in the Non-Feature Film Category. Ms. Sonam Kapoor was awarded Special Mention Award in the Feature Films Category for her role in the movie Neerja. Movies in the languages other than those specified in the VIII Schedule of the constitution in the feature Film categories were also awarded. The award for the best Moran Film was given to Haanduk while best Tulu film was given to Madipu.Best Film Critic award was given to G. Dhananjayan for his in depth analysis on a wide range of topics such as film genres, brands, new strategies in movie watching, taxation impact and ticket pricing. Special Mention Award was given to the K.P. Jayashankar and Anjali Monteiro for the book ‘A fly in the Curry’. Best Book on Cinema award was given to ‘Lata- Sur Gatha’ authored by Yatindra Mishra.Special Jury Award in the Feature category was given to Mohanlal for his mastery in dealing with characters of various shades with unparallel acting brilliance. Special Jury Award in the Non-Feature category was given to ‘The Cinema Travellers’. This year a new category ‘Best on-location Sound Recordist’ in the Non-Feature Film section of the National Film Awards was also introduced. The state of Uttar Pradesh was awarded the Most Film Friendly State award for implementing a unique film policy.