National Film Award for Best Cinematography

National Film Award for Best Cinematography
National award for contributions to Indian Cinema
Sponsored by	National Film Development Corporation of India
Formerly called	Award for excellence in Cinematography (1967–1976)
Reward(s)	Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) ₹2,00,000
First awarded	1967
Last awarded	2022
Most recent winner	Ravi Varman
Highlights
Total awarded	69 (Cameraman) 23 (Laboratory Processing) 1 (Cinematographer)
First winner	Ramachandra (Colour) M. N. Malhotra (Black-and-white)

The National Film Award for Best Cinematography is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus).

The award was instituted in 1967, at 15th National Film Awards and awarded annually for films produced in the year across the country, in all Indian languages. Till 34th National Film Awards, awards were given for Black-and-white as well as Color motion picture film. Since 37th National Film Awards, Laboratory Processing are also awarded under the same category. From 70th National Film Awards, the primary/main cinematographer is alone awarded, while eliminating the existing two sub-categories. ^[1]

Multiple Winners

4 wins: K. K. Mahajan, Avik Mukhopadhyay, Santosh Sivan

3 wins: Soumendu Roy, Apurba Kishore Bir, Madhu Ambat, Venu

2 wins: Ramachandra, Balu Mahendra, Ashok Mehta, Sudeep Chatterjee

Recipients

Award includes 'Rajat Kamal' (Silver Lotus) and cash prize. The only female who has won this award is Anjuli Shukla, who won the award for her debut film, Kutty Srank (2010). Prasad Film Lab has been awarded eight times for the laboratory processing. Following are the award winners over the years:

*	Indicates Black-and-white feature film

List of award recipients, showing the year (award ceremony), film(s), language(s) and citation
Year	Recipient(s)	Laboratory Processing	Film(s)	Language(s)	Citation	Refs.
1967 (15th)	Ramachandra	–	Bambai Raat Ki Bahon Mein	Hindi	–	[2]
	M. N. Malhotra	–	Hamraaz	Hindi	–
1968 (16th)	Nariman Irani	–	Saraswatichandra	Hindi	–	[3]
	K. S. Prasad	–	Thillana Mohanambal	Tamil	–
1969 (17th)	K. K. Mahajan	–	Sara Akash	Hindi	–	[4]
	Marcus Bartley	–	Shanti Nilayam	Tamil	–
1970 (18th)	K. K. Mahajan	–	Uski Roti	Hindi	–	[5]
	Radhu Karmakar	–	Mera Naam Joker	Hindi	–
1971 (19th)	Nando Bhattacharya	–	Anubhav	Hindi	–	[6]
	Ramachandra	–	Reshma Aur Shera	Hindi	–
1972 (20th)	Mankada Ravi Varma	–	Swayamvaram	Malayalam	–	[7]
	K. K. Mahajan	–	Maya Darpan	Hindi	–
1973 (21st)	Apurba Kishore Bir	–	27 Down	Hindi	–	[8]
	Soumendu Roy	–	Ashani Sanket	Bengali	–
1974 (22nd)	K. K. Mahajan	–	Chorus	Bengali	–	[9]
	Soumendu Roy	–	Sonar Kella	Bengali	–
1975 (23rd)	B. S. Lokanath	–	Apoorva Raagangal	Tamil	–	[10]
	Ishan Arya	–	Muthyala Muggu	Telugu	–
1976 (24th)	P. S. Nivas	–	Mohiniyaattam	Malayalam	–	[11]
	S. Ramachandra	–	Rishya Shringa	Kannada	–
1977 (25th)	Balu Mahendra	–	Kokila	Kannada	For smooth, crisp and immaculate camera work; for the clear, sensitive and discreet portrayal of beings in the first flush of youth; for seizing with a certain lyrical grace their romantic yearnings, their gay abandon, their zest and effervescence, their charming narcissism; for using the camera creatively to project their languid world of gossamer dreams out of which they are roused by the bitter harshness of reality.	[12]
	Soumendu Roy	–	Shatranj Ke Khilari	Hindi	For capturing in meticulous detail the opulent splendor of the court of Wajid Ali Shah; for using color with discrimination and taste to evoke the distinctive decadent flavour of the period and to provide psychological insights into the characters; for projecting the action through a framework of shifting perspectives, thereby providing a movable feast for the eyes, for establishing by pointed contrast the somber hues and subdued functionalism of the environment of General Outram, emphasising by such means the furtive manoeuvring for power; for using the camera to create a visual tapestry, rich in the clash of conflicting events, ideologies and responsibilities.
1978 (26th)	Shaji N. Karun	–	Thampu	Malayalam	For using the camera as a silent witness to the ironies of life. The reaction shots of circus audience taken unawares are in the best tradition of cinema-verite camera style.	[13]
	Govind Nihalani	–	Junoon	Hindi	For eloquent camera work which is equally effective both in romantic passages and battle sequences. The camera faultlessly brings out all the colour hues in various locations and differing light conditions.
1979 (27th)	Kamal Nayak	–	Neem Annapurna	Bengali	–	[14]
	Rajan Kinagi	–	Shodh	Hindi	–
1980 (28th)	Sivan	–	Yagam	Malayalam	For depicting the grim and tense mood of the film, admirably depicting mellowed moments in the film with charm.	[15]
	Ashok Kumar	–	Nenjathai Killathe	Tamil	For brilliantly creating salient features of each character with the help of superb camera control and effective use of lighting and for significantly contributing to the mood of the film.
1981 (29th)	Shripati R. Bhat	–	Mooru Darigalu	Kannada	For projecting the mood of the film in a vivid manner.	[16]
	Ashok Mehta	–	36 Chowringhee Lane	English	For the technical excellence, for highlighting the tonality, texture and nuances of the story and for an outstanding work as a cameraman.
1982 (30th)	Balu Mahendra	–	Moondram Pirai	Tamil	For the brilliant use of vivid imagery to create variety of moods.	[17]
1983 (31st)	B. Bindhani	–	Neeraba Jhada	Oriya	For recording the stark realities of rural life in austere images.	[18]
	Raj Shekhar
	Madhu Ambat	–	Adi Shankaracharya	Sanskrit	For succeeding in capturing visually the spirit of the theme.
1984 (32nd)	Jehangir Choudhary	–	Holi	Hindi	–	[19]
1985 (33rd)	Subrata Mitra	–	New Delhi Times	Hindi	For inspired camera work which brings out the delicate nuances of light and shade resulting in a strong visual presentation.	[20]
1986 (34th)	Venu	–	Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal	Malayalam	For the lyrical and brilliant visual presentation.	[21]
			Amma Ariyan		For his powerful and disturbing black and white photography.
1987 (35th)	P. C. Sreeram	–	Nayakan	Tamil	For the precise interpretation in lighting and camera operation adding a very vital dimension to the narrative.	[22]
1988 (36th)	Apurba Kishore Bir	–	Daasi	Telugu	For high technical excellence and creative participation in evolving the basic statement.	[23]
1989 (37th)	Virendra Saini	Adlabs	Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro	Hindi	For the high technical skills shown in evoking the special ethos of the film.	[24]
1990 (38th)	Santosh Sivan	Vijay Colour Lab	Perumthachan	Malayalam	For heightening the mood of the film with the highest visual standards.	[25]
1991 (39th)	Apurba Kishore Bir	Prasad Film Lab	Aadi Mimansa	Oriya	For achieving high degree of accomplishment in painting the film with light, imparting a sensuous quality to the texture and feel of the film.	[26]
1992 (40th)	Venu	Prasad Film Lab	Miss Beatty's Children	English	For his masterely, unobtrusive and technically excellent camera work.	[27]
1993 (41st)	Venu	Prasad Film Lab	Ponthan Mada	Malayalam	For the masterly use of the camera, in order to capture the feel of the background, setting, atmosphere of the subject and making use of striking visuals to communicate the theme.	[28]
1994 (42nd)	K. V. Anand	Gemini Color Lab	Thenmavin Kombath	Malayalam	In recognition of the outstanding cinematography executed with sincerity, imagination and flexibility. Fluid camera movements, praise compositions, and use of light are the highlights of this visual experience.	[29]
1995 (43rd)	Santosh Sivan	Gemini Color Lab	Kaalapani	Malayalam	For bringing out the flavour and authenticity of a period with a remarkable use of lights, shades and colours.	[30]
1996 (44th)	Mrinal Kanti Das	Prasad Film Lab	• Adajya  •Rag Birag	Assamese	For his versatile, imaginative and superb combinations and mood lighting.	[31]
1997 (45th)	Santosh Sivan	Prasad Film Lab	Iruvar	Tamil	For maintaining a consistent style and pattern that does justice to the period and scale that the narrative deals with.	[32]
1998 (46th)	Santosh Sivan	Gemini Color Lab	Dil Se..	Hindi	His camera travels across spectacular landscapes and architecture and through bustling humanity with great seductive charm, colours and moods are created with equal ease in a film which sets a high standard of cinematic perfection.	[33]
1999 (47th)	Anil Mehta	Adlabs	Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam	Hindi	For a wide range of tonal variations achieved by the cinematographer to express the changing moods of this musical in a given space and time.	[34]
2000 (48th)	Ashok Mehta	Prasad Film Lab	Moksha	Hindi	For providing wide range of tonal variation and outstanding compositions to cater to the changing moods of the film's narrative.	[35]
2001 (49th)	Ramachandra Halkare	Prasad Film Lab	Dweepa	Kannada	For his excellent camerawork that captures the agrarian milieu with strong visual metaphors. His work stands out for its deft handling of the situation, social vignettes and characters.	[36]
2002 (50th)	Abhik Mukhopadhyay	Rainbow Color Lab	Patalghar	Bengali	For creating the distinctive and elegant visual ambience of the film that is excellently in tune with the mood of the story.	[37]
2003 (51st)	Abhik Mukhopadhyay	Rainbow Color Lab	Bhalo Theko	Bengali	For enriching the narrative with tranquility and beauty.	[38]
2004 (52nd)	Mahesh Aney	Adlabs	Swades	Hindi	For his lens that captures the rural Indian landscape with reality and harshness.	[39]
2005 (53rd)	Madhu Ambat	Prasad Film Lab	Sringaram	Tamil	For the technical brilliance which is evident in the framing, lighting and execution throughout the film.	[40]
2006 (54th)	Gautam Ghose	Rainbow Colour Lab	Yatra	Hindi	For creating evocative moods and capturing the nuances of a feudal system changing to modern times.	[41]
2007 (55th)	Shanker Raman	Deluxe Laboratories Inc.	Frozen	Hindi	For the artistic and technical excellence of cinematography revealed through superb reproduction of tonalities and stark compositions, maintaining the texture on high altitude.	[42]
2008 (56th)	Abhik Mukhopadhyay	Filmlab	Antaheen	Bengali	For the poetically captured visuals with inspired use of light and shades to enhanced the mood of the film.	[43]
2009 (57th)	Anjuli Shukla	Adlabs	Kutty Srank	Malayalam	For the breathtaking sweep that captures the magical mystery of a multilayered narrative.	[44]
2010 (58th)	Madhu Ambat	–	Adaminte Makan Abu	Malayalam	For the visual poetry that augments and reinforces the concern of the narrative and for unfolding the infinite vistas of nascent digital technology in the visual medium.	[45]
2011 (59th)	Satya Rai Nagpaul	Reliance MediaWorks	Anhe Ghore Da Daan	Punjabi	For skilfully blending the narrative and the moving image to describe the desolate fields of Punjab making its painful transition towards a dehumanised urban world. He provides a human feel to the textures of this once bountiful landscape with some brilliant lighting and compositional unity. The minimalism employed opens up a rich tapestry of rural faces, landscapes and its animals in a way that allows the viewer to virtually inhabit these spaces.	[46]
2012 (60th)	Sudheer Palsane	Prasad Studios	Ko:Yad	Mishing	The unexplored charm of North-East India through different seasons is all the more alluring in the eyes of this Cinematographer.	[47]
2013 (61st)	Rajeev Ravi	–	Liar's Dice	Hindi	For capturing life from the picturesque snow-laden mountains through a strenuous bus journey, to the crowded and dingy streets of Delhi with a rare fluidity.	[48]
2014 (62nd)	Sudeep Chatterjee	–	Chotushkone	Bengali	For exhibiting a wide spectrum of space and time while effortlessly knitting the emotional fabric of the film.	[49]
2015 (63rd)	Sudeep Chatterjee	–	Bajirao Mastani	Hindi	For bringing about an outstanding visual dynamics, depicting the grand interiors of palaces and vast landscapes with an artistic interplay of light & shadows.	[50]
2016 (64th)	Tirru	–	24	Tamil	For understating the basic requirements of popular 'movie watching experience' and enhancing it manifold.	[51]
2017 (65th)	Nikhil S. Praveen	–	Bhayanakam	Malayalam
2018 (66th)	M. J. Radhakrishnan	–	Olu	Malayalam	Different landscapes, elements and texture come alive to bring a sense of beauty and grace.	[52]
2019 (67th)	Girish Gangadharan	–	Jallikattu	Malayalam	For the brilliant picturisation of long night sequences where frantic locals chase a wild bull in a forest without compromising the beauty of the night and the forest.	[53]
2020 (68th)	Supratim Bhol	–	Avijatrik	Bengali	For fulfilling the aspirations of the script through the images of classical elegance.
2021 (69th)	Avik Mukhopadhyay	–	Sardar Udham	Hindi
2022 (70th)	Ravi Varman	–	Ponniyin Selvan: I	Tamil

References

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2. "15th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
3. "16th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
4. "17th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
5. "18th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
6. "19th National Film Awards" . Retrieved 10 July 2012.
7. "20th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
8. "21st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
9. "22nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
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11. "24th National Film Awards" . Retrieved 10 July 2012.
    • Khajane, Muralidhara (12 January 2011). "Creative cinematographer leaves a void". The Hindu . Mysore. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
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15. "28th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
16. "29th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
17. "30th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
18. "31st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
19. "32nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
20. "33rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
21. "34th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
22. "35th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
23. "36th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
24. "37th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
25. "38th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
26. "39th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
27. "40th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
28. "41st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
29. "42nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
30. "43rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
31. "44th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
32. "45th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
33. "46th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
34. "47th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
35. "48th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
36. "49th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
37. "50th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
38. "51st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
39. "52nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
40. "53rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
41. "54th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
42. "55th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
43. "56th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
44. "57th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
45. "58th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
46. "59th National Film Awards for the Year 2011 Announced". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
47. "60th National Film Awards Announced" (PDF) (Press release). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
48. "61st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
49. "62nd National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
50. "63rd National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
51. "64th National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
52. "66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
53. "66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.

External links

• Official Page for Directorate of Film Festivals, India
• National Film Awards Archives