Rishab Shetty has bagged the National Award for the best actor for Kantara (Kannada). The 70th National Awards for the bests of 2022 were announced today (August 16) by the I & B minister in Delhi. The film, directed by Rishab Shetty too, was also named the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment. Nithya Menen and Manasi Parekh won the best actress award for their performances in Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil) and Kutch Express (Gujarati) respectively.
Sooraj Barjatya was adjudged the best film director for Uunchai. Anand Ekarshi’s Malayalam suspense drama, Aattam, bagged the awards for the best film, best screenplay and best editing.
All films certified between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 were eligible for the awards which will be presented by President Droupadi Murmu in October 2024. The winning films were decided by a jury comprising Dilip Kumar Pandey, Dr. Anurag Singh, Yatindra Mishra, Subhajit Mitra, Amol Bhave and R.V. Udayakumar.
The other award winners at the 70th National Awards are:
Best debut film of a director: Pramod Kumar for Fouja.
Best supporting actor: Pavan Raj Malhotra for Fouja.
Best supporting actress: Neena Gupta for Uunchai.
Best child artiste: Sreepath for Malikappuram (Malayalam).
Best cinematographer: Ravi Varman (Ponniyin Selvan Part 1; Tamil).
Best dialogue: Arpita Mukherjee and Rahul V. Chittella for Gulmohar.
Best production design: Ananda Addhya (Aparajito; Bengali).
Best action choreographer: Anbariv for K.G.F. Chapter 2 (Kannada).
Best music director (songs): Pritam for Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva.
Best background music: A.R. Rahman (Ponniyin Selvan 1; Tamil).
Best lyrics: Naushad Sadar Khan for Salaami in Fouja.
Best playback singer male: Arijit Singh for Kesariya in Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva.
Best playback singer female: Bombay Jayashri for Chaayum veyil in Saudi Vellakka (Malayalam).
Best choreographer: Jani Master and Sathish Krishnan for Megham karukatha in Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil).
Best editing: Mahesh Bhuvanend for Aattam (Malayalam).
Best sound design: Anand Krishnamoorthy for Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1 (Tamil).
Best make-up artist: Somnath Kundu for Aparajito (Bengali).
Best costume design: Niki Joshi for Kutch Express (Gujarati).
Special jury award: Manoj Bajpayee (Gulmohar) and Sanjoy Chowdhury (Kadhikan; Malayalam).
Best feature film in Assamese: Kulanandini Mahanta’s Emuthi Puthi.
Best feature film in Bengali: Kaushik Gangula’s Kaberi Antardhan.
Best feature film in Hindi: Rahul V. Chittella’s Gulmohar.
Best feature film in Kannada: Prashanth Neel’s K.G.F. Chapter 2.
Best feature film in Malayalam: Tharun Moorthy’s Saudi Vellakka.
Best feature film in Marathi: Paresh Mokashi’s Vaalvi.
Best feature film in Tiwa: Dr. Bobby Sarma Baruah’s Sikaisal.
Best feature film in Odia: Vishal Mourya and Debi Prasad Lenka’s Daman.
Best feature film in Punjabi: Mukesh Gautam’s Baghi Di Dhee.
Best feature film in Tamil: Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan Part 1.
Best feature film in Telugu: Chandoo Mondeti’s Karthikeya 2.
Best film in animation, visual effects, gaming and comic: Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva.
Best feature film promoting national, social and environmental values: Viral Shah’s Kutch Express (Gujarati).