Winners Announced at 70th National Film Awards

The winners of the 70th National Film Awards were announced today, August 16, 2024, at a press conference in New Delhi. This prestigious event honors the best films and cinematic achievements from the year 2022.

Rishab Shetty took home the Best Actor award for his outstanding role in the Kannada folk action thriller, Kantara. Not only did he win this accolade, but the film itself was recognized as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, which is a big win for Shetty.

In a notable tie, the Best Actress award was shared by Nithya Menen for her performance in the Tamil comedy-drama, Thiruchitrambhalam, and Manasi Parekh for her role in the Gujarati film, Kutch Express.

The award for Best Film was won by Anand Ekarshi’s Aattam, which also received honors for Best Editing and Best Screenplay. Additionally, renowned director Sooraj R Barjatya claimed the Best Director title for his Hindi adventure drama, Uunchai, featuring stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher.

The 70th National Film Awards celebrate films that were certified between January 1 and December 31, 2022. The winners will be celebrated in an awards ceremony hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in October 2024.

It’s also worth mentioning that the jury did not announce the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award today, leaving fans curious about who will receive this prestigious honor.

The panel that decided this year’s winners included several esteemed jurors, such as Dilip Kumar Pandey and Dr. Anurag Singh, among others.

For context, last year’s awards saw Rocketry: The Nambi Effect winning Best Feature Film, while the blockbuster RRR won six awards, highlighting the competitive nature of the Indian film industry.