Awards
Awards were divided into feature films, non-feature films and books written on Indian cinema.
Lifetime Achievement Award
| Name of Award | Image | Awardee(s) | Awarded As | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award |  | Durga Khote | Actor and Film producer | Swarna Kamal, ₹40,000 and a Shawl |
Feature films
Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 31st National Film Awards, a Sanskrit film, Adi Shankaracharya won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film also winning the maximum number of awards (four). Following were the awards given in each category: [1]
All India Award
Following were the awards given: [1]
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film | Adi Shankaracharya | Sanskrit | Producer: NFDC | Swarna Kamal and ₹50,000/- |
| Director: G. V. Iyer | Swarna Kamal and ₹25,000/- | |||
| Citation:For its dedication, depth and power and the impressive skill with which it captures the Indian philosophical tradition. | ||||
| Second Best Feature Film | Maya Miriga | Oriya | Producer: NFDC | Rajat Kamal and ₹30,000/- |
| Director: Nirad N. Mohapatra | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- | |||
| Citation:For the sensitivity and compassion with which it depicts an aspect of middle class reality and its restrained and intelligent observation of people. | ||||
| Best Feature Film on National Integration | Sookha | Hindi | Producer: M. S. Sathyu | Rajat Kamal and ₹30,000/- |
| Director: M. S. Sathyu | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- | |||
| Citation:For its sincerity in the portrayal of basic human values that unify mankind. | ||||
| Best Children's Film | Bhombal Sardar | Bengali | Producer: Government of West Bengal | Swarna Kamal and ₹20,000/- |
| Director: Nripen Ganguly | Rajat Kamal and ₹20,000/- | |||
| Citation:For its lively and lyrical description of a world seen through the eyes of a boy. | ||||
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro | Hindi | Producer: NFDC Director: Kundan Shah | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For its treatment of contemporary theme with wit and humour. | ||||
| Best Direction | Khandhar | Hindi | Mrinal Sen | Rajat Kamal only |
| Citation:For its subtle blending of nostalgia and contemporary social comment and the powerful visual exploration of the theme. | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Adi Shankaracharya | Sanskrit | G. V. Iyer | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For its rich texture, lyricism and cinematic elegance in its presentation of Shankaracharya as an embodiment of greatness. | ||||
| Best Actor | Ardh Satya | Hindi | Om Puri | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For his authentic portrayal of the inner conflicts of a conscientious police officer. | ||||
| Best Actress | Khandhar | Hindi | Shabana Azmi | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For the sensitivity with which she captures the tragic loneliness of the character of Jamini. | ||||
| Best Child Artist | Malamukalile Daivam | Malayalam | Master Suresh | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- |
| Citation:For lively depiction of a wide range of emotions of a tribal lad. | ||||
| Best Cinematography (Color) | Adi Shankaracharya | Sanskrit | Madhu Ambat | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For succeeding in capturing visually the spirit of the theme. | ||||
| Best Cinematography (Black and White) | Neeraba Jhada | Oriya | •B. Bindhani •Raj Shekhar | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For recording the stark realities of rural life in austere images. | ||||
| Best Audiography | Adi Shankaracharya | Sanskrit | S. P. Ramanathan | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For the deft handling of the sound track to blend with the film's mood. | ||||
| Best Editing | Khandhar | Hindi | Mrinmoy Chakraborty | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For his work which gives the film its structure, rhythm and brooding quality. | ||||
| Best Art Direction | Mandi | Hindi | Nitish Roy | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For the inventive creation of a backdrop which admirably complemented the varying moods of the film. | ||||
| Best Music Direction | Saagara Sangamam | Telugu | Ilaiyaraaja | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For his lively, rich and vigorous recreation of traditional music composition and inventive musical ideas adapted to the visual demands of drama. | ||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Saagara Sangamam | Telugu | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For his resonant and technically rich rendering of musical forms to enhance dramatic impact. | ||||
| Best Female Playback Singer | M. L. A. Yedukondalu ("Yendho Beeda Vaade Gopaludu") | Telugu | P. Susheela | Rajat Kamal and ₹10,000/- |
| Citation:For her fine flight of voice in the endearing of Gopal's magical childhood in the song "Gopaludu" from the film. | ||||
| Special Jury Award | Nokkukuthi | Malayalam | Mankada Ravi Varma | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- |
| Citation:For successfully using a unique idiom to recreate a folk legend through dance and poetry. | ||||
| Special Mention | Tarang | Hindi | Kumar Shahani | Certificate Only |
Regional Award
The awards were given to the best films made in the regional languages of India. For feature films in English, Gujarati, Kashmiri and Punjabi language, award for Best Feature Film was not given. [1]
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Awardee(s) | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film in Assamese | Alokar Ahban | Producer: Do-Re-Me Films | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: Kamal Hazarika | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For a realistic presentation of the theme of rural co-operatives in the handloom industry of Assam. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Bengali | Vasundhra | Producer: Sanjukta Films | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: Sekhar Chatterjee | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For its sincere attempt to depict the struggle against social injustice. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Hindi | Ardh Satya | Producer: Manmohan Shetty and Pradeep Uppoor | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: Govind Nihalani | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For its powerful exploration of a labyrinthine socio-political situation. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Kannada | Banker Margayya | Producer: T. S. Narasimhan and B. S. Somasundar | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: T. S. Nagabharana | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For a faithful and effective rendering of a classic Indian novel into the medium of cinema. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Malayalam | Malamukalile Daivam | Producer: Surya Mudra Films | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: P. N. Menon | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For the courageous effort to present the cause of tribals and their efforts to join the national mainstream. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Manipuri | Sanakeithel | Producer: Th. Doren | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: M. A. Singh | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For the sympathetic portrayal of a human relationship in the context of a social tragedy. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Marathi | Smruti Chitre | Producer: Vinayak Chaskar | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: Vijaya Mehta | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For its compassionate portrayal of an early woman writer and its compelling study of a tormented soul coming to terms with her social condition. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Oriya | Neeraba Jhada | Producer: Manmohan Mahapatra | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: Manmohan Mahapatra | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For sensitive narration of the looming tragedy of an uprooted rural community. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Tamil | Oru Indhiya Kanavu | Producer: T. P. Varadarajan and Vijayalakshmi Desikan | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: Komal Swaminathan | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For its honesty of purpose to articulate the cause of tribal welfare. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Telugu | Rangula Kala | Producer: K. Venkateswara Rao | Rajat Kamal and ₹15,000/- |
| Director: B. Narsing Rao | Rajat Kamal and ₹7,500/- | ||
| Citation:For a vivid portrayal of urban life as seen by a sensitive painter in search of his identification with the masses. | |||
Non-Feature films
Following were the awards given: [1]
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Information Film | The Procession | English | Producer: Aurora Films Corporation Director: Anjan Bose | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- Each |
| Citation:For portraying the innocence of the Indian villager and making a political comment, with telling images of evocative sensitivity that needs no words. | ||||
| Best Educational / Instructional Film | Oval Crop | English | Producer: Radha Narayanan Director: Mohi-ud-Din Mirza | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its qualities of technical excellence combined with the precision of content so vital to making an instructional film which sustains the interests of an audience even with its mundane subject matter. | ||||
| Best Promotional Film | Ekta Aur Anushasan | Hindi | Producer: K. S. Kulkarni Director: S. K. Sharma | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its exuberant youthful energy, bringing forth of a sense of pride in the National Cadet Corps, with an enthusiasm for National Integration without falling into cliches. | ||||
| Best Experimental Film | The Clown and The Dog | Hindi | Producer: Film and Television Institute of India Director: Sunny Joseph | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its attempt to unfold the intellectual yearnings of youth for freedom if thought and action, interpreted in a brilliantly photographed stylised form. | ||||
| Best Animation Film | Fire Games | English | Producer: Ranabir Ray Director: Ram Mohan Animator: Naik Satam and Bapu Parulekar | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- Each |
| Citation:For a highly professional standard of animation conceived and executed with great finesse. | ||||
| A Race With Death | English | Producer: B. R. Shedge Director: Yash Choudhary Animator: V. G. Samant and V. K. Wankhede | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- Each | |
| Citation:For using media of animation with much skill for easy communication to any audience group - rural or urban. | ||||
| Best Newsreel Cameraman | Tragedy of Gendi (Indian News Review No. 1799) | English | C. Ramani, Uday Shankar and S. L. Prasad | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- |
| Citation:For their well planned team work (in Indian News Review No. 1799) covering the scientific, technical, ceremonious and human aspects of a great event of national importance recording sensitive emotions of expectation and fulfilment during the launching of SLV-3. | ||||
| Best News Film | Shelter | English | Film and Television Institute of India | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- |
| Citation:For its brave and sympathetic visual coverage and journalistic report of a controversial issue affecting the lives of the pavement dwellers of Bombay. | ||||
| Special Mention | Jalshakti | Hindi | Producer: National Institute of Design Director: I. S. Mathur | Certificate only |
| Thalam | Malayalam | Producer: Kerala State Film Development Corporation Director: Joy Mathew | ||
| Energy-Merry-Go-Round | English | Producer: National Institute of Design | ||
| Veer Savarkar (Biographical Film) | Marathi | |||
| Handling Fuel Oils Fission Power 306 Rejuvenation (Scientific Film) | English | |||
| Against Current Exploration Antartica (Exploration Film) | English | |||
| •Cobra - The Snake God •Perumkaliattam •Leather Puppetry of Karnataka •Nishan (Anthropological/Ethnographic Film) | •English •Malayalam •English •Hindi | |||
| Two Men and an Ideal (Historical Reconstruction Film) | English | |||
| •Tambaccucha Samna •Bidaai (Social Welfare) | •Marathi •Hindi | |||
Best Writing on Cinema
Following were the awards given: [1]
| Name of Award | Name of Book | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Book on Cinema | Cinemayude Lokam | Malayalam | Author: Adoor Gopalakrishnan | Rajat Kamal and ₹5,000/- |
Awards not given
Following were the awards not given as no film was found to be suitable for the award: [1]
