| Current Awards: | 70th National Film Awards |
| Awarded For: | Excellence in cinematic achievements for Indian cinema |
| Presenter: | National Film Development Corporation |
| Location: | Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi |
| Country: | India |
The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals from 1973 until 2020, and by the NFDC since 2021.[1] [2] [3]
Every year, a national panel appointed by the government selects the winning entry, and the award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India presents the awards. This is followed by the inauguration of the National Film Festival, where award-winning films are screened for the public. Declared for films produced in the previous year across the country, they hold the distinction of awarding merit to the best of Indian cinema overall, as well as presenting awards for the best films in each region and language of the country.[4]
The Awards were first presented in 1954. The Government of India conceived the ceremony to honor films made across India, on a national scale, to encourage the furthering of Indian art and culture. From 1973 until 2020, the Indian Directorate of Film Festivals administers the ceremony along with other major film events in India annually.[5] Since then, National Film Development Corporation of India administers the ceremony.
The National Film Awards are presented in two main categories: Feature Films and Non-Feature Films.[1] The juries are appointed by the NFDC. Neither the Government nor the organization has influence over which films are selected for consideration and which films ultimately win awards. There are strict criteria as to whether a film is eligible for consideration by the jury panels. Over 100 films made across the country are entered in each category (Feature and Non-Feature) for the awards and are deemed eligible each year.[6]
A list of rules is presented every year in a document of regulations known as the National Film Award Regulations.[1] The criteria for eligibility contain many clauses. Among them, there is a direct requirement for the makers of a film, and particularly the director, to be Indian nationals.[7] Films entering the competition should be produced in India, and in the case of co-production involving a foreign entity, there are as many as six conditions that should be fulfilled in order for the film to qualify.[7] According to the criteria, in order to be eligible for consideration by the jury, a film should be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between 1 January and 31 December. Whether a film is considered a feature film or a non-feature film shall be decided by the Feature Film jury. The eligibility list includes a section of rules determining which films shall not be eligible for entry in the competition.[7]
The "Year" in the below table corresponds to the year of the film certificate issued by the CBFC. The "Date" indicates when the awards were presented to the winners.
| Year | Ceremony | Date | Best Feature Film | Best Non-Feature Film | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 1st | 10 October 1954 | Shyamchi Aai | Mahabalipuram | |
| 1954 | 2nd | 21 December 1955 | Mirza Ghalib | Spirit of the Loom | |
| 1955 | 3rd | September 1956 | Pather Panchali | Magic of Mountains | |
| 1956 | 4th | 28 April 1957 | Kabuliwala | Gotama The Buddha | |
| 1957 | 5th | 16 April 1958 | Do Aankhen Barah Haath | A Himalayan Tapestry | |
| 1958 | 6th | 28 April 1959 | Sagar Sangamey | Radha Krishna | |
| 1959 | 7th | 1 May 1960 | Apur Sansar | Kathakali | |
| 1960 | 8th | 31 March 1961 | Anuradha | Kangra and Kulu | |
| 1961 | 9th | 21 April 1962 | Bhagini Nivedita | Rabindranath Tagore | |
| 1962 | 10th | 21 April 1963 | Dada Thakur | Four Centuries Ago | |
| 1963 | 11th | 25 April 1964 | Shehar Aur Sapna | Song of the Snow | |
| 1964 | 12th | 31 May 1965 | Charulata | One Day | |
| 1965 | 13th | 1966 | Chemmeen | Cloven Horizon | |
| 1966 | 14th | 10 October 1967 | Teesri Kasam | Glimpses of West Bengal | |
| 1967 | 15th | 25 November 1968 | Hatey Bazarey | India '67 | |
| 1968 | 16th | 13 February 1970 | Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne | Everest | |
| 1969 | 17th | 21 November 1970 | Bhuvan Shome | Amrita Sher-Gil | |
| 1970 | 18th | 1971 | Samskara | "No Award" | |
| 1971 | 19th | 1 May 1972 | Seemabaddha | Bhutan | |
| 1972 | 20th | 1973 | Swayamvaram | The Inner Eye | |
| 1973 | 21st | October 1974 | Nirmalyam | The Flame Burns Bright | |
| 1974 | 22nd | 1976 | Chorus | Man In Search of Man | |
| 1975 | 23rd | 1976 | Chomana Dudi | Winged Wonderland | |
| 1976 | 24th | 1977 | Mrigayaa | "No Award" | |
| 1977 | 25th | 27 April 1978 | Ghatashraddha | Deshratna Rajendra Prasad | |
| 1978 | April 1979 | "No Award" | Rumtek - A Monastery WrethedIn A Hundred Thousand Rainbows | ||
| 1979 | 27th | May 1980 | Shodh | "No Award" | |
| 1980 | 28th | April 1981 | Akaler Shandhaney | Daldal | |
| 1981 | 29th | April 1982 | Dakhal | Faces After The Storm | |
| 1982 | 30th | May 1983 | Chokh | An Indian Story | |
| 1983 | 31st | June 1984 | Adi Shankaracharya | The Procession | |
| 1984 | 32nd | June 1985 | Damul | Music of Satyajit Ray | |
| 1985 | 33rd | June 1986 | Chidambaram | ||
| 1986 | 34th | September 1987 | Tabarana Kathe | The Land of Sand Dunes | |
| 1987 | 35th | April 1988 | Halodhia Choraye Baodhan Khai | Bhopal: Beyond Genocide | |
| 1988 | 36th | 31 May 1989 | Piravi | Kanaka Purandara | |
| 1989 | 37th | May 1990 | Bagh Bahadur | Aar Koto Din | |
| 1990 | 38th | 7 April 1991 | Marupakkam | Graven Image | |
| 1991 | 39th | 6 May 1992 | Agantuk | Sons of Abotani: The Misings | |
| 1992 | 40th | 4 May 1993 | Bhagavad Gita | In Search of Indian Theatre | |
| 1993 | 41st | 30 September 1994 | Charachar | Maihar Raag | |
| 1994 | 42nd | 17 July 1995 | Unishe April | Rasayatra | |
| 1995 | 43rd | 6 August 1996 | Kathapurushan | Tarana | |
| 1996 | 44th | 15 July 1997 | Lal Darja | Sham's Vision | |
| 1997 | 45th | 10 July 1998 | Thaayi Saheba | Jataner Jami | |
| 1998 | 46th | 15 February 2000 | Samar | In The Forest Hangs a Bridge | |
| 1999 | 47th | 18 September 2000 | Vanaprastham | Dui Paatan Ke Beech Mein | |
| 2000 | 48th | 12 December 2001 | Shantham | Rasikpriya | |
| 2001 | 49th | 13 February 2003 | Dweepa | Sonal | |
| 2002 | 50th | 29 December 2003 | Mondo Meyer Upakhyan | Narayan Gangaram Surve | |
| 2003 | 51st | 2 February 2005 | Shwaas | Kaya Poochhe Maya Se | |
| War and Peace | |||||
| 2004 | 52nd | 21 October 2005 | Page 3 | Girni | |
| 2005 | 53rd | 14 September 2007 | Kaalpurush | Riding Solo to the Top of the World | |
| 2006 | 54th | 2 September 2008 | Pulijanmam | Bishar Blues | |
| 2007 | 55th | 21 October 2009 | Kanchivaram | Hope Dies Last In War | |
| 2008 | 56th | 20 March 2010 | Antaheen | AFSPA 1958 | |
| 2009 | 57th | 22 October 2010 | Kutty Srank | The Postman and Bilal | |
| 2010 | 58th | 9 September 2011 | Adaminte Makan Abu | Germ | |
| 2011 | 59th | 3 May 2012 | Byari | And We Play On | |
| Deool | |||||
| 2012 | 60th | 3 May 2013 | Paan Singh Tomar | Shepherds of Paradise | |
| 2013 | 61st | 3 May 2014 | Ship of Theseus | Rangbhoomi | |
| 2014 | 62nd | 3 May 2015 | Court | Tender is the Sight | |
| 2015 | 63rd | 3 May 2016 | Amdavad Ma Famous | ||
| 2016 | 64th | 3 May 2017 | Kaasav | Fireflies in the Abyss | |
| 2017 | 65th | 3 May 2018 | Village Rockstars | "No Award" | |
| 2018 | 66th | 23 December 2019 | Hellaro | Son Rise | |
| The Secret Life Of Frogs | |||||
| 2019 | 67th | 25 October 2021 | An Engineered Dream | ||
| 2020 | 68th | 30 September 2022 | Soorarai Pottru | Testimony of Ana | |
| 2021 | 69th | 17 October 2023 | Ek Tha Gaon | ||
| 2022 | 70th | 8 October 2024 | Aattam | Ayena |
The awards are categorized into three sections; Feature film, Non-feature film, and Best Writing on cinema. With each section having its individual aims, Feature Film and Non-Feature Film sections aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form, thereby promoting unity and integrity of the nation.[1] The Best Writing on cinema section aims to encourage the study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of the art form through the publication of various books, articles, reviews, newspaper coverage, and studies.[8] In addition, a lifetime achievement award, named after the father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke, is awarded to a film personality for the outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.[9]
All the award winners are awarded a Medallion, a cash prize, and a certificate of merit. Six categories from the Feature Films section, three from the Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema sections each have been made eligible for Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus Award), and the rest of the categories for Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award).[10]
| 1969 | Dadasaheb Phalke Award |
| Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Best Non-Feature Film | |
| 1991 | Best Debut Film of a Director | |
| 2000 | Best Direction | |
| Silver Lotus (Rajat Kamal) | ||
| 1967 | Best Animation Film | |
| 1978 | Special Mention | |
| 1985 | Best Arts / Cultural Film | |
| 1987 | Best Short Film | |
| 1990 | Best Cinematography | |
| 1990 | Best Editing | |
| 1990 | Best Sound Design | |
| 1993 | Best Music Direction | |
| 2003 | Best Narration / Voice Over | |
| 2022 | Best Non Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values | |
| 2022 | Best Biographical / Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film | |
| 2022 | Best Documentary | |
| 2022 | Best Script | |
| Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Best Book on Cinema | |
| 1984 | Best Film Critic | |
See main article: Discontinued and intermittent National Film Awards.