The President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred National Film Awards for the year 2021 under various categories at 69th edition of the ceremony in New Delh’s Vigyan Bhawan. Union Minister Anurag Thakur also graced his presence at the prestigious event.
The President highlighted the National Film Awards as a portrayal of India’s diversity and unity, praising the talented individuals for expressing various languages, regional traits, social beliefs, and societal issues, bringing together people from different generations and classes. She referred to the film fraternity and artists as change-makers who introduce India’s diverse reality through their work, emphasizing cinema’s role as both a societal document and a means for improvement. She expressed confidence in India’s abundant talent, foreseeing the film industry continuing to set global standards for excellence and contributing to the nation’s development.
During the ceremony, President Murmu presented awards to prominent figures such as Kriti Sanon, Alia Bhatt, Waheeda Rehman, and Pallavi Joshi, among many others.
Kriti Sanon was honored with the Best Actress Award for her role in ‘Mimi.’ Overwhelmed by the recognition, Kriti shared, “I am filled with immense gratitude. It’s a truly special moment, especially with my parents present to witness it. This is a feeling like no other.”
Alia Bhatta also received the Best Actress Award for her remarkable performance in the film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi.’ Expressing her gratitude, Alia Bhatt said, “This is a moment of immense significance, and I’m truly thankful.”
Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was awarded the Best Actor Award for his role in ‘Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1,’ marking his first National Award.
Rakshit Shetty’s film ‘777 Charlie’ was recognized as the Best Kannada Film, and he accepted the award on behalf of the team from President Droupadi Murmu.
Mirzapur fame Pankaj Tripathi received the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in ‘Mimi.’ Reflecting on this achievement, he stated, “This award is a testament to the collective effort of the entire team. I extend my gratitude to the jury for selecting me, and I dedicate this award to my father.”
Pallavi Joshi was awarded the Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘The Kashmir Files.’ She commented, “Receiving a national award is always a great honor. I now have high expectations regarding the audience’s response, given the recognition that ‘The Kashmir Files’ has received.”
Additionally, ‘The Kashmir Files’ was honored with the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, and the award was accepted by director Vivek Agnihotri on behalf of the team.
Renowned music composer MM Keeravani was recognized with the National Award for Best Background Score for his work in director SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR.’ Keeravani’s son, Kaala Bhairava, received the award for Best Playback Singer for the song ‘Komuram Bheemudo.’
Karan Johar’s production ‘Shershaah,’ starring Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, received the Special Jury Award, and the honor was received by Karan and director Vishnu Vardhan.
R Madhavan’s directorial project ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ was named the Best Feature Film at the 69th National Awards. Madhavan expressed his happiness, saying, “I am extremely delighted and proud. It’s a wonderful award, and it feels very gratifying.”
Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman was presented with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award. During her acceptance speech, she humbly said, “I feel deeply honored and humbled. I owe my journey to the film industry to the wonderful directors, producers, technicians, writers, and music directors I had the privilege to work with. They have showered me with love and respect.”
Singer Shreya Ghoshal received the Best Female Playback Singer award for her rendition of the song ‘Mayava Chayava’ from the Tamil film ‘Iravin Nizhal.’ This marked Shreya’s fifth National Film Award.
Renowned music director Devi Sri Prasad was bestowed with the Best Music Director Award for his exceptional composition in the Telugu blockbuster ‘Pushpa: The Rise.’ Expressing his gratitude, Devi Sri Prasad stated, “I will forever be thankful to everyone. This is one of the most prestigious awards, and it’s the ultimate dream of any artist. Today, that dream has come true.”