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The best and the brightest in cinema world honoured

Staff Reporter

THE WINNERS: Best Actresses Thaara with Best Actor Saif Ali Khan at the National Film Awards function at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday. — Photo: V. V. Krishnan

NEW DELHI: It was an evening to honour the best and the brightest in the cinema world at the 52nd National Film Awards ceremony here in the Capital on Friday. Noting that film personalities have the power to make people laugh, cry, be inspired and happy, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam after conferring the awards said creative people in this world should have a great aim in life.

"You will be known for tears bitter and sweet. You should have a great aim in life and ask yourself what you will be remembered for,'' he added.

In his address, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Jaipal Reddy, said the National Film were aimed at encouraging creative people to achieve higher levels of creativity. "I believe that next to the freedom struggle and the vibrant political party system nothing has revolutionised the country more than cinema. It has championed great progressive ideas. It is the greatest mass entertainer as well as a mass educator. We produce 900 films a year, which is more than Hollywood. I just wish the quality of the films remain high,'' he said. Asserting that the Government was trying to encourage cinema, Mr. Reddy said: "We have asked State Governments to reduce entertainment tax. We have also been signing co-production agreements with countries. Last evening the Cabinet approved an audio-visual co-production with Britain.'' The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2004 was conferred on the master of cinema who refuses to compromise on his work, Adoor Golpalakrishnan. The evening saw several other stalwarts of Indian cinema getting recognised for their contributions. Shyam Benegal was conferred the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration with "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero'', Rituparno Ghosh won the Best Hindi Feature Film Award for "Raincoat'', Yash Chopra for the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment with "Veer Zara" along with "Autograph'' in Tamil by Cheran. Madhur Bhandarkar got the Best Feature Film Award for "Page 3". The popular film actor Saif Ali Khan won the Best Actor Award for his portrayal in "Hum Tum''. Kannada star Thaara received the Best Actress Award for her powerful portrayal of a young Muslim wife questioning traditional laws of her community in Girish Kassarvalli's `Hasina'.

The Best Feature Film Award in Kannada went to "Beru'' and the best Malayalam film was bagged by "Akale''. "Navarasa" won the Best Feature Film Award in Tamil. The Best Child Artist award went to Om Bhutkar and the Best Supporting Actor Award was won by the octogenarian Haradhan Banerjee.

The chairman of the jury Sudhir Mishra felt that Indian cinema still had miles to go. "Saddened'' by the general state of affairs of cinema in the country, Mr. Mishra said: "Cinema comes out of nowhere, lacks imagination.''

He also expressed his concern about censorship and the constitution of the Censor Board.

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