The Hindi film industry dominated the 66th National Film Awards, which were announced in New Delhi today by a jury headed by filmmaker Rahul Rawail. Multiple honours came in for AndhaDhun — the neo-noir thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan, Uri: The Surgical Strikes headlined by Vicky Kaushal, and Ayushmann Khurrana’s Badhaai Ho. The National Film Awards adjudged Gujarati film Helaru as the best film of 2018 with a Special Jury Award for its cast.
AndhaDhun was named the best Hindi film of the year at the National Film Awards with Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal (Uri) sharing the best actor award. Keerthy Suresh won the best actress award (Mahanati). Uri: The Surgical Strike also won the best director award for Aditya Dhar. Additionally, actor Surekha Sikri won the best supporting actress award for her acclaimed performance in Badhaai Ho. The award for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment also went to Badhaai Ho
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand has been named the most film friendly state, and producer Priyanka Chopra’s Marathi film Paani won best film on environment conservation.
Pad Man, starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte, won the best film on social issues award. Kannada film Sarkari Hiriya Prathamika Shale, Kasaragodu won the award for the best children’s film. Sanjay Leela Bhansali was named best music direction and Swanand Kirkire has won the best supporting actor award for the Marathi film, Chumbak. Padmaavat also bagged best choreography for the song Ghoomar and best male playback singer for Arijit Singh.
Every year the winners of the awards are announced in April and the presentation ceremony is held on May 3, which is when India’s first feature film is said to have its theatrical release in 1913. However, in April the ministry announced that the National Film Awards will be declared after the Lok Sabha elections.
Full list of winners of 66th National Film Awards
Best Actor- Vickey Kaushal and Ayushman Khurana
Best Singer: Arijit Singh for Padmavat
Best Urdu Film- Hamid
Best Hindi Film- Andhadhun
Best Konkani Film- Amori
Best Kannada Film- Nathicharami
Best Telugu Film- Mahanati
Best Educational Film- SaralaVirala
Best Film on Sports- Swimming through the Darkness
Best Investigative Film- Amoli(Non-Feature Film Category)
Best Gujarati Film- Reva
Best Punjabi Film- Harjeeta
Best Assamese Film- Bulbul can sing
Best Malayalam Film- Sudani from Nigeria
Best Bengali Film- Ek Je Chhilo Raja
Best Environment Film- The World’s Most Famous Tiger.
The film is directed by Subbiah Nallamuthu.
Best Science & Technology Film (Non-Feature Category)- G.D Naidu: The Edison of India
Best Tamil Film – Baaram
Best Arts and Culture Film- Bunkar: The Last of The Varanasi Weavers
Best Rajasthani Film- Turtle
Pangchenpa Film- In The Land of Poison Women
Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director- Feluda_50 Years Rays Detective