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 |  | Bommireddy Nagi Reddy | Film producer | Swarna Kamal, ₹ 1,00,000 and a Shawl |
Feature films
Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 34th National Film Awards, a Kannada film, Tabarana Kathe won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, whereas a Hindi film, Mirch Masala and a Bengali film, Phera won the maximum number of awards (3). Following were the awards given in each category: [2]
Juries
A committee headed by Bhisham Sahni was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members: [2]
- Jury Members
- Bhisham Sahni (Chairperson) • Ashok Mitran • Jahnu Barua •N. Krishnamoorthy •R. Lakshman • Ramesh Naidu • Sai Paranjpye •Sankar Bhattacharya •Swapan Ghosh • T. Prakash Rao
All India Award
Following were the awards given: [2]
Golden Lotus Award
Official Name: Swarna Kamal [2]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film | Tabarana Kathe | Kannada | Producer: Apoorva Chitra | ₹ 50,000/- |
| Director: Girish Kasaravalli | ₹ 25,000/- | |||
| Citation:For an extremely sensitive probe into the anguish of a helpless individual caught in a bureaucratic web, depicted with great feeling and expertise as he waits for his pension, which arrives too late. | ||||
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin | Hindi | Producer and Director: Sudhir Mishra | ₹ 25,000/- Each |
| Citation:For an incisive analysis of history as seen through the eyes of three elderly freedom fighters and its impact on their stand against social injustice in contemporary times. | ||||
| Best Film Providing Popular and Wholesome Entertainment | Samsaram Adhu Minsaram | Tamil | Producer: AVM Productions | ₹ 40,000/- |
| Director: Visu | ₹ 20,000/- | |||
| Citation:For its entertaining presentation of a complex contemporary social problem - the disintegration of the joint family. | ||||
Silver Lotus Award
Official Name: Rajat Kamal [2]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Film on Other Social Issues | Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottam | Malayalam | Producer: M. Mani | ₹ 30,000/- |
| Director: Sibi Malayil | ₹ 15,000/- | |||
| Citation:For focussing on the dire need for integrity in the educational system in remote areas in a heart warming film, charmingly narrated. | ||||
| Best Direction | Oridathu | Malayalam | G. Aravindan | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Citation:For his masterly and powerful depiction of changing society reeling under the onslaught of technical progress. | ||||
| Best Cinematography | Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal | Malayalam | Venu | ₹ 15,000/- |
| Citation:For the lyrical and brilliant visual presentation. | ||||
| Amma Ariyan | Malayalam | Venu | ||
| Citation:For his powerful and disturbing black and white photography. | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Phera | Bengali | Buddhadeb Dasgupta | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For its penetrative and sensitive screenplay depicting the trauma faced by an artist in search of his identity in relation to his professional and personal life. | ||||
| Best Actor | Tabarana Kathe | Kannada | Charuhasan | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For an immensely moving and controlled portrayal of an individual's anguish, as he waits endlessly for justice. | ||||
| Best Actress | Nakhakshathangal | Malayalam | Monisha | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For her portrayal in the film, in which she depicts an entire range of human emotions and gives an extra dimension to the character os Gowri, a village lass destined to love and lose. | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Mirch Masala | Hindi | Suresh Oberoi | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For breathing life into complex feaudal character, who tries to control a destiny beyond his reach. | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Bhangala Silata | Oriya | Manjula Kanwar | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For a startlingly realistic portrayal of an exploited, illiterate woman who lives like a haunted animal, trapped into accepting her ultimate fate. | ||||
| Best Child Artist | Phera | Bengali | Aniket Sengupta | ₹ 5,000/- |
| Citation:For his lively and poignant portrayal of a young boy who brings new faith and meaning to the life of an aged artiste. | ||||
| Best Audiography | Path Bhola | Bengali | •Durga Mitra •Jyoti Prasad Chatterjee | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For adding a new dimension to the film by a sensitive employment of sound. | ||||
| Best Editing | Mirch Masala | Hindi | Sanjiv Shah | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For his perfection in creating a smooth flow. | ||||
| Best Art Direction | Madhvacharya | Kannada | P. Krishnamoorthy | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For effectively recreating the era of Madhvacharya. | ||||
| Best Music Direction | Madhvacharya | Kannada | M. Balamuralikrishna | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For the effective use of classical music blended with folk music. | ||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Lalan Fakir | Bengali | Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For his superb rendering of the traditional songs in his deep and vibrant voice. | ||||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Nakhakshathangal ("Manjal Prasadavum") | Malayalam | K. S. Chithra | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For her melodious rendering of songs. | ||||
| Best Costume Design | Parinati | Hindi | Prabhat Jha | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation:For the authenticity in the use of costumes. | ||||
| Special Jury Award | Amma Ariyan | Malayalam | John Abraham | ₹ 5,000/- |
| Citation:For his directorial excellence and originality in the treatment. | ||||
| Special Mention | Himghar | Bengali | Sandip Ray | Certificate only |
Regional Awards
The award is given to best film in the regional languages in India. [2]
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film in Assamese | Baan | Producer: Do-Re-Me Films | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Charu Kamal Hazarika | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For its incisive comment on the post-independence establishment in a flood-prone region. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Bengali | Phera | Producer: Buddhadeb Dasgupta | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Buddhadeb Dasgupta | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For its depiction of dilemma of a creative artiste in a world of changing values. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Hindi | Mirch Masala | Producer: NFDC | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Ketan Mehta | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For its moving depiction of a rural woman's struggle against oppressive social conditions in the pre-Independence era. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Kannada | Shankha Nada | Producer: Umesh Kulkarni | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Umesh Kulkarni | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For its satirical presentation of the facts of the panchayat system in a faction-ridden village. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Malayalam | Uppu | Producer: K. M. A. Rahim | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: V. K. Pavithran | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For its depiction of people caught in the midst of religious conservatism. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Oriya | Majhi Pahacha | Producer: Dipti Mohanty | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Manmohan Mahapatra | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For a faithful portrayal of a range of individuals in today's urban milieu. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Tamil | Mouna Ragam | Producer: G. Venkateswaran | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Mani Ratnam | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For its sensitive portrayal of an urban young woman's voyage to self-discovery. | |||
| Best Feature Film in Telugu | Swathi Muthyam | Producer: Edida Nageshwara Rao | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: K. Viswanath | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For an effective rendering of a dramatic story about a man too innocent and child-like to fit into the scheme of the hard, calculating world. | |||
Best Feature Film in Each of the Language Other Than Those Specified In the Schedule VIII of the Constitution
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film in English | Watchman | Producer: T. S. Narasimhan | ₹ 20,000/- |
| Director: Shankar Nag | ₹ 10,000/- | ||
| Citation:For the charming rendering of the story an old watchman saving a young girl from suicide, himself having lost all his near and dear ones. | |||
Non-Feature Films
Short Films made in any Indian language and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification as a documentary/newsreel/fiction are eligible for non-feature film section.
Juries
A committee headed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan was appointed to evaluate the non-feature films awards. Following were the jury members: [2]
- Jury Members
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan (Chairperson) • Jalal Agha • Manmohan Shetty •Sivan
Golden Lotus Award
Official Name: Swarna Kamal [2]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Non-Feature Film | The Land of Sand Dunes | English | Producer: Orchid Films Pvt. Ltd. Director: Gautam Ghose | ₹ 15,000/- Each |
| Citation:For the sensitivity and feel for the subject expressed in its effective cinematic style. | ||||
Silver Lotus Award
Official Name: Rajat Kamal [2]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)' and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Anthropological / Ethnographic Film | The Land Where Wind Blows Free | English | Producer: Director of Cultural Affairs, Assam Director: Chandra Narayan Barua | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its faithful and authentic portrayal of the tribal communities of North-East India. | ||||
| Best Biographical Film | Sister Alphonsa of Bharananganam | English | Producer: Dejo Kappen and George Sebastian Director: Rajiv Vijay Raghavan | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its creative use of cinematography in portraying with great sympathy and understanding the life of Sister Alphonsa. | ||||
| Kamala Nehru | English | Producer: Uma Shankar Director: Ashish Mukherjee | ||
| Citation:For the innovative use of graphics in the effective depiction of the subject. | ||||
| Best Arts / Cultural Film | Our Islamic Heritage - Part II | English | Producer: K. K. Garg for Films Division Director: K. K. Garg | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its well researched treatment and the artistry and imagination employed in bringing an aspect of our great heritage into focus. | ||||
| Classical Dance Forms of India - Koodiattam | English | Producer: Doordarshan Director: Prakash Jha | ||
| Citation:For its excellent visual treatment of a great traditional theatre form. | ||||
| Best Scientific Film (including Environment and Ecology) | Kaamdhenu Redeemed | English | Producer: Radha Narayanan and Mohi-Ud-Din Mirza Director: Mohi-Ud-Din Mirza | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its very effective use of cinematographic medium for covering modern scientific methods of cattle breeding. | ||||
| Best Industrial Film | The Story of Glass | English | Producer: S. Kumar Director: Buddhadeb Dasgupta | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its comprehensive and engaging treatment of glass-making in our country. | ||||
| Best Agricultural Film | Three Spices - Cinnamon Part I | English | Producer: D. Gautaman for Films Division Director: D. Gautaman | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its high motivational and educational value. | ||||
| Best Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film | We The People of India | English | Producer: N. S. Thapa for Films Division Director: Bhanumurthy Alur | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For creative compilation of historic facts and materials. | ||||
| Best Film on Social Issues | Inner Instincts | English | Producer: Ministry of Welfare (India) Director: P. Vijay Kumar | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For its sensitive and probing treatment of a vital social issue. | ||||
| Best Educational / Motivational Film | Mitraniketan Vellanad | English | Producer: Cinemart Foundation Director: Jagannath Guha | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For effectively bringing into focus the services of an institution engaged in tackling the rural problems at the grass roots level. | ||||
| For Better Living | English | Producer: Padmalaya Mohapatra and Ghanashyam Mohapatra Director: Ghanashyam Mohapatra | ||
| Citation:For the competence with which an important social endeavour like the upliftment of the Adivasis is depicted. | ||||
| Best News Review | The Pope Meets India (News Magazine 70) | English | Producer: P. B. Pendharkar and P. S. Arshi for Films Division Director: Camera Team for Films Division | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For the excellently co-ordinated team work in making the coverage of the Pope's visit to India more than mere news. | ||||
| Best Animation Film | A. B. See | English | Producer: P. B. Pendharkar for Films Division Director and Animator: Arun Gongade | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation:For the freshness of treatment using animation technique to effectively convey a message of great social significance. | ||||
| Special Jury Award | Equal Partners | English | Yash Chaudhary | ₹ 5,000/- |
| Citation:For the deft handling of a complex subject designed to promote better understanding between nations. | ||||
Best Writing on Cinema
The awards aim at encouraging study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of this art-form through publication of books, articles, reviews etc.
Juries
A committee headed by Vijay Tendulkar was appointed to evaluate the writing on Indian cinema. Following were the jury members: [2]
- Jury Members
- Vijay Tendulkar (Chairperson) • Dibyendu Palit •S. Jayachandran Nair
Silver Lotus Award
Official Name: Rajat Kamal [2]
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)' and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Book | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Book on Cinema | Rabindranath O Chalachithra | Bengali | Author: Arun Kumar Roy | ₹5,000/- |
| Citation:For making an original evaluation and analysis of films and documentaries made on Tagore's writings and personality from the silent era of cinema to date and thus linking cinema, an important creative mediumm, to a great creative mind. | ||||
| Best Film Critic | Bengali | Chidananda Dasgupta | ₹5,000/- | |
| Citation:For his unique writings which do not look at films in isolation and instead evaluate them in the context of a total artistic expression as integrated in other forms of arts. This gives most of his writings a broader perspective and depth and links them with social, psychological and historical changes. | ||||
Awards not given
Following were the awards not given as no film was found to be suitable for the award: [2]
- Second Best Feature Film
- Best Children's Film
- Best Film on Family Welfare
- Best Exploration/Adventure Film
- Best Non-Feature Film on Family Welfare
- Best Feature Film on National Integration
- Best Lyrics
- Best Feature Film in Manipuri
- Best Feature Film in Marathi
- Best Feature Film in Punjabi
- Best Promotional Film
