New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI): 'Paan Singh Tomar', Tigmanshu Dhulia's biopic on the athlete-turned-dacoit, was named the best picture today at the 60th National Film Awards while its male star Irrfan Khan shared the best actor trophy with veteran Marathi actor Vikram Gokhale.
Irrfan was chosen for his intense portrayal of the steeplechase player Paan Singh Tomar. A seven-time national champion in the '50s and '60s, Tomar, who served in the Indian army, turned a bandit after a land fued in his family. He was killed in 1981.
Gokhale, who has acted in many Hindi films as well, was honoured for his poignant depiction of a man struggling to save his dying wife in Marathi film 'Anumati'.
Usha Jadhav was adjudged the best actress portrayal of a rustic housewife in Marathi film 'Dhag' while its filmmaker Shivaji Lotan Patil was declared the best director. The film depicts the struggle of a family, who take care of their village crematorium.
A beaming Irrfan, 46, dedicated his award to the athlete and his family.
"I am happy that Paan Singh Tomar, who was unknown, became a household name through this film. I share this award with his family. I hope that the film helps people realise that talent should not go to waste," Irrfan told PTI.
Bollywood shared the spotlight with Malayalam and Marathi films with the jury recognising wide variety of movies from different regional cinema industries. Though not in the main categories, Malayalam films bagged 13 awards to emerge at the top.
Headed by veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, the 11-member feature films jury announced the awards today. The National Film Awards along with Dada Saheb Phalke honour, to be declared later, are likely to be given by President Pranab Mukherjee on May 3, officials said.
Bedabrata Pain's much-lauded debut 'Chittagong', about Chittagong uprising, shared Indira Gandhi award for best debut film with Siddhartha Siva's Malayalam film '101 Chodiyangal'.
Hindi film 'Vicky Donor', John Abraham produced film on sperm donation, was named for three trophies. The Shoojit Sircar directed film was a joint winner with Anwar Rasheed directed Malayalam film 'Ustad Hotel' for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment honour.
'Vicky Donor' actors Annu Kapoor and Dolly Ahluwalia were best supporting actor and actress. Ahluwalia won the award along with Kalpana for Malayalam film 'Thanichalla Njan'.
Director Sujoy Ghosh was declared the best original screenplay writer for his Vidya Balan starrer 'Kahaani' while another Hindi film 'Oh My God', produced by superstar Akshay Kumar, won the best adapted screenplay for Bhavesh Mandalia and Umesh Shukhla. 'Ustad Hotel' was recognised for best dialogue for Anjali Menon.
'Kahaani', about a pregnant woman's quest for her missing husband in Kolkata, won Namrata Rao the best editing honour.
'Bolo Na' from 'Chittagong' won the best lyrics for Prasoon Joshi and best male playback singer for Shankar Mahadevan. Aarti Anklekar Tikekar was named the best female playback singer for 'Palakein Naa Moondoon' from Marathi film 'Samhita'.
'Thanichalla Njan', apart from its supporting actress win, was also named in the Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on national integration category. Malayalam film 'Spirit', which deals with the topic of alcoholism, was named as the best film on social issues.
Another Malayalam film 'Black Forest' was declared the best film on environment conservation/preservation. Hindi film 'Dekh Indian Circus' was best children's film and its lead Virendra Pratap shared the best child actor honour with '101 Chodiyangal'. Nikhil Advani directed 'Delhi Safari' was named the best animation film.
Kamal Haasan's 'Vishawaroopam' won best production design and best choreography for Pandit Birju Maharaj. Poornima Ramaswamy was named best costume designer for Tamil film 'Paradesi' while Raja won the best make-up artist award for Tamil movie 'Vazakkuenn 18/9'.
Bollywood dominated in the special jury award with Aamir Khan starrer 'Talaash', 'Gangs of Wasseypur', 'Kahaani' and Dekh Indian Circus' being named in the category with Bengali film 'Chitrangada'. Best cinematography honour went to 'Ko:YAD', a film in Mising language.
Best audiography award was shared by Malayalam film 'Annayum Rassoolum', 'Shabdo' and 'Gangs of Wasseypur'. Malayalam film 'Kaliyachan' and Marathi film 'Samhita' shared the best music direction award. Telugu film 'Eega' was named in the best special effects category.
'Baandhon', by Jahnu Baruah, was named the best Assamese film; Kaushik Ganguly's 'Shabdo' best Bengali film; 'The Good Road', by Gyan Arora, best Gujarati film, 'Filmistan', by Nitin Kakkar, best Hindi film; P Sheshadri's 'Bharath Stores' best Kannada film; Kamal's 'Celluiod' best Malayalam film; 'Leipaklei' was named best Manipuri film.
The others in this category were: 'Investment (Marathi), 'Nabar' (Punjabi), 'Vazakkuenn 18/9' (Tamil), 'Eega (Telugu), 'Harud' (Urdu), 'Lessons in Forgetting (English) and 'Ko:Yad' (Mising).
Special mention was given to actor Lal for Malayalam film 'Ozhimuri', H G Dhattatreya for Kannada film 'Bharat Stores', Parineeti Chopra for 'Ishaqzaade', Bishnu Kharghoria for Assamese film 'Baandhon', Tannishta Chatterjee for Hindi film 'Dekh Indian Circus', Hansraj Jagtap for Marathi film 'Dhag' and late actor Thilakan for Malayalam film 'Ustad Hotel'.
'Silent Cinema In India-A Pictorial Journey' in English by B D Garga was named the best book on cinema while best film critic award went to Malayalam writer P S Radhakrishnan while Piyush Roy won a special mention.