In a star-studded event, President Draupadi Murmu graced the 69th National Film Awards 2023 ceremony, held in New Delhi on Tuesday, to honor the crème de la crème of Indian cinema. The event, marked by grandeur and grace, saw celebrated stars like Allu Arjun, Alia Bhatt, and Kriti Sanon, among others being recognized for their remarkable contributions to the film industry. Filmmaker Ketan Mehta headed the 11-member jury for the awards.

69th National Film Awards 2023: Bollywood Wins Big

Among the night’s major awards, R. Madhavan proudly accepted the Best Feature Film award for ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.’ Allu Arjun’s extraordinary portrayal in Sukumar’s ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ earned him the Best Actor award, a historic moment for the Telugu film industry. He became the first Telugu actor to win this prestigious accolade.

Alia Bhatt, adorned in her Sabyasachi wedding saree, shared the best actress award with Kriti Sanon. Alia won the award for her compelling performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ and Kriti Sanon was acknowledged for her remarkable role in Laxman Utekar’s ‘Mimi.’

Pankaj Tripathi was honored with the Best Supporting Actor award for his nuanced performance in ‘Mimi.’ Pallavi Joshi received the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in ‘The Kashmir Files.’ Their outstanding performances added depth and substance to their respective films.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Veteran actress Waheeda Rahman was honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. In a heartfelt speech, she expressed her profound gratitude to all the people she had collaborated with throughout her illustrious career. From producers to directors, writers to costume designers, and makeup artists, she acknowledged their contributions to her remarkable journey.

RRR dominates the 69th National Film Awards 2023

‘RRR,’ directed by SS Rajamouli, stole the show, taking home awards in multiple categories. MM Keeravani received the award for Best Music Direction, and the film’s song ‘Dham Dham Dham’ earned Chandrabose the Best Lyrics award. The film also received awards for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, Best Male Playback Singer (Kaala Bhairava), Best Choreography (Prem Rakshith), Best Special Effects, and Best Stunt Choreography. The film had previously won an Academy Award for ‘Best Original Song’ earlier in the year.

Regional Cinema Shines

The National Film Awards also recognized excellence in regional cinema. Vishnu Mohan, director of ‘Mepaddiyan,’ won the Best Debut Film Director award in the Malayalam category. ‘Aavasavyuham’ received the Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation award, while Martin Prakkat’s ‘Nayattu’ was honored with the Best Screenplay award.

In the Tamil film industry, ‘Kadaisi Vivasayi’ won the Best Tamil Film award, and Shreya Ghoshal was recognized as the Best Female Playback Singer for ‘Iravin Nizhal.’ In the Kannada category, filmmaker Prem Rakshith’s heart-warming film ‘Charlie 777′ secured the Best Kannada Film award.

The President of India, in her speech, highlighted the significance of the films that received awards at the 69th National Film Awards 2023 . She noted that these films addressed critical issues such as climate change, human trafficking, the oppression of women, corruption, and social exploitation. They also portrayed the strength and resilience of women, furthering the cause of women’s empowerment.

The films recognized at the 69th national film awards 2023 ceremony highlighted various critical issues, from climate change and girls’ trafficking to the oppression of women and social exploitation. Each film told a unique story, depicting the transformative power of education, tribal communities’ love for nature and art, and the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, among other topics.

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