New Delhi, Apr 13 (IANS): "Newton" director Amit V Masurkar hopes the Best Hindi Film National Award for his movie opens up more doors for relevant political cinema in India.

The 65th National Film Awards were announced here on Friday.

Thanking the jury for awarding "Newton", Masurkar said in a statement: "I hope this award and the film's commercial success creates a bigger space for relevant political cinema.

"This wouldn't have been possible without an incredible cast, crew, and the love and support from the people of Chhattisgarh where we shot the film."

Rajkummar Rao-starrer "Newton", which tells the story of a government clerk who tries to run a free and fair election in a conflict area in central India, was also the official selection as India's entry for the 90th Academy Awards.

Actor Pankaj Tripathi, who played the role of a CRPF officer in the film, won a Special Mention at the National Film Awards for his performance.