NewzVille Desk
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, presented the 71st National Film Awards in New Delhi today. She also conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2023 on Mohanlal.
The Best Feature Film Award was given to the Hindi movie ’12th Fail,’ while the Best Hindi Feature Film Award was presented to ‘Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery.’
In the Best Actor category, the awards were presented to actor Shah Rukh Khan for his film Jawan and actor Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail.
The Best Actress award was given to actress Rani Mukerji for her performance in the film Mrs Chatterjee vs. Norway.
Sudipto Sen’s, The Kerala Story, was conferred the Best Direction award, and the Hindi film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was given the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Shilpa Rao and PVNS Rohit were conferred the awards for Best Playback Singers for songs in the Hindi film Jawan and the Telugu film Baby.
Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated all the award winners, as well as Mohanlal, who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. She said that Mohanlal Ji has effortlessly portrayed the softest of the soft and the harshest of the harsh emotions, creating an image of the Complete Actor.
The President was happy to note that women-centric good films are being made and getting awards, too. She said that we all see that women struggle to some extent with poverty, patriarchy, or prejudice. She noted that the films awarded today include stories of mothers shaping the morals of their children, women uniting to confront social stereotypes, the plight of women amidst the complexities of home, family, and social order, and stories of courageous women who raise their voices against the inequalities of patriarchy. She appreciated such sensitive filmmakers.
The President emphasized that cinema is not just an industry; it is also a powerful medium for raising awareness in society and the nation and making citizens more sensitive. She said that popularity may be a good thing for a film, but being in the public interest, especially for the younger generation, is even better. She urged all those associated with the film industry to make efforts to ensure that Indian films get greater acceptance, their popularity increases and they get recognition at the global level.
