National Film Awards highlights: President Kovind says Sridevi, Vinod Khanna will be remembered forever

The 65th National Film Awards 2018 ceremony began at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday amid controversy. Over 70 recipients decided not to attend the function to protest President Ram Nath Kovind’s decision to not personally present the prizes to all the winners. The President arrived at the end of the ceremony to give award 11 artistes and deliver a speech.

Actor Sridevi posthumously won the Best Actress Award for her role in Hindi film Mom while Bengali actor Riddhi Sen got the Best Actor award for Nagar Kirtan. The Best Feature Film award went to Assamese film Village Rockstars. Actor Vinod Khanna was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, received by his son Akshaye and wife Kavita.

Here are the highlights:

6.13pm: President Ram Nath Kovind delivers his address. He also talked about Sridevi and Vinod Khanna. “We miss them today and we will miss them forever. Their films like Lamhe and Mere Apne captured not only the box office but also the minds of the audience. When Vinod Khanna and Sridevi passed away, for millions of film lovers the loss seemed personal. Their fans and followers could be found all over the country, in every state and region. This is the beauty of cinema. Our film industry unites us as few others do,” he said.

6.00pm: Bengali actor Riddhi Sen accepts the Best Actor Award for Nagar Kirtan. Assamese Film Village Rockstars won the Best Feature Film Award.

5.59pm: Sridevi’s family--husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Khushi and Janhvi-- accepts the Best Actress Award for on the late actor’s behalf. “An artist always looks for an honourable honour and there cannot be a bigger honour than National Awards,” Boney Kapoor told DD News earlier in the day.

5.56pm: AR Rahman won the Best Background Music Award for Mom and Best Songs Award for Kaatru Veliyidai.

5.44pm: Akshaye Khanna accepts the Dadasaheb Phalke Award on behalf of his late father Vinod Khanna. President Ram Nath Kovind, I&B Minister Smriti Irani and I&B State Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathoregave away the award. A short AV on the actor’s life and career was also shown at the ceremony with commentary from Amitabh Bachchan, Gulzar, JP Dutta, Hema Malini and his wife Kavita. “We are really proud as a family. It is a bittersweet moment for us. I wish my father was here to receive this award. I am missing him. It is an emotional day for us,” Akshaye earlier said.

5.35pm: President Ram Nath Kovind arrives with First Lady Savita Kovind for the ceremony. He will give away the final 11 awards of the evening.

5.00pm: Shasha Tirupati gets the Best Female Playback Singer award for Vaan Varuvaan from Kaatru Veliyidai (Tamil). Bhanita Das gets the Best Child Artist Award for Village Rockstars. Divya Dutta gets Best supporting actress award for Iraada. Baahubali 2 gets the Best Popular Film award.

4.55pm: Action director King Solomon gets the Rajat Kamal for Baahubali 2. The film also got an award for Best Visual Effects. Choreographer Ganesh Acharya accepts his second Rajat Kamal for Gori Tu Latth Maar from Toilet Ek Prem Katha.

4.54pm: Director Amit V Masurkar accepts the Best Hindi Film Award for Newton.

4.49pm: Ghazi gets the Best Telugu Film Award while Hello Arsi gets the Best Odia Film Award. Kachcha Limbu gets the Best Marathi Film Award. Hebbet Ramakka gets the Best Kannada Film Award.

4.46pm: Smriti Irani and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore award winners in the feature film category. Actor Pankaj Tripathi gets special mention award for Newton.

4.31pm: The ceremony begins with special mention awards and certificates given to non-feature films. I&B minister Smriti Irani and I&B minister of state Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore give away the awards.

4.17pm: Late actor Sridevi’s husband Boney Kapoor and their daughters Janhvi and Khushi arrive for the ceremony to receive the Best Actress award for Mom on her behalf. “We are proud of her, she truly deserved it. She always gave her best for all her films. Sadly she is not around to accept it. But we are proud of it,” Boney said.

4 pm: Akshaye Khanna arrives to receive father Vinod Khanna’s Dadasaheb Phalke award. The late star is one of two posthumous winners at this year’s ceremony. “Very humbling for me as his son to receive the award, it is a very proud moment for us,” said Akshaye.

The late actor’s wife Kavita Khanna said, “There is also a sense of him not being there to accept the award but I am glad Akshaye is accepting the award on his behalf. There could be nobody better than him to do it.”

3.54pm: Choreographer Ganesh Acharya arrives on the red carpet with his family to accept his award for Gori Tu Lath Maar from Toilet Ek Prem Katha. He previously won an award for choreographing Hawan Karenge from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. He called the National Awards a bigger honour than Oscars.

3.46pm: Pankaj Tripathi arrives for the ceremony with his wife. He says he feels relief now after working hard for years and the award will make him more confident.

Actor Pankaj Tripathi with his wife at the ceremony. (Twitter)

3.32pm: Divya Dutta arrives at the red carpet with her siblings to accept her award. She has won the best supporting actress award for Irada. Divya thanked her fans for appreciating her work over the years which gave her the confidence to keep working in movies. She said her mother is watching and blessing her from ‘up above.’

Divya Dutta at the 65th National Film Awards. (Twitter)

Among those who are to be honoured today include late actors Sridevi and Vinod Khanna. President Kovind will personally honour Nagraj Manjule, Sinjar, KJ Yesudas, AR Rahman, Riddhi Sen, Jayaraj and more.

Boney Kapoor, along with daughters Janhvi and Khushi, will receive the National Film Award for Best Actress on behalf of his late wife and actor Sridevi. Vinod Khanna’s family is expected to accept the Dadasaheb Phalke award on behalf of the actor.

Watch National Film Awards LIVE here:

The awards were announced on April 13 by a 10-member jury that was headed by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

Here is the full list of winners of 65th National Film Awards:

Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Vinod Khanna

Best Director: Jayaraj for Bhayanakam (Malayalam)

Best Feature Film: Village Rockstars (Assamese)

Best Actor: Ridhhi Sen for Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)

Best Actress: Sridevi for Mom (Hindi)

Best Supporting Actor - Fahadh Faasil for Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (Malayalam)

Best supporting actress - Divya Dutta for Irada (Hindi)

Best Action Direction: Baahubali 2 (Telugu)

Best Choreography: Ganesh Acharya for Toilet Ek Prem Katha

Best Film for National Integration - Dhappa (Marathi)

Anushka Shetty and Prabhas in Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion

Anushka Shetty and Prabhas in Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion

Best Popular Film: Baahubali 2 (Telugu)

Best Debut Film of a Director: Pampally for Sinjar (Jasari)

Best film on Social Issues: Aalorukkam (Malayalam)

Best Child artist: Bhanita Das for Village Rockstars (Assamese)

Best Children’s Film: Mhorkya (Marathi)

Best Cinematography: Nikhil S Praveen for Bhayanakam (Malayalam)

Best Special Effects: Baahubali 2 (Telugu)

Special Jury Award: Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)

Best Film Critic: Giridhar Jha

Special Mention for Film Criticism: Sunil Mishra of Madhya Pradesh

Special Mention:

Mhorkya (Marathi)

Hello RC (Odiya)

Take Off (Malayalam)

Pankaj Tripathi for Newton (Hindi)

Malayalam actor Parvathy

Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation: Irada (Hindi)

Best Regional films

Kaccha Limbu (Marathi)

Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (Malayalam)

Fahadh Faasil in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum

Fahadh Faasil in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum

Newton (Hindi)

Mayurakshi (Bengali)

Ishu (Assamese)

To Let (Tamil)

Gazi (Telugu)

DHH (Gujarati)

Hebbettu Ramakka (Kannada)

Sinjar (Jasari)

Hello Arsi (Odiya)

Walking With The Wind (Ladakhi)

Paddayi (Tulu)

An image from ‘Newton’

An image from ‘Newton’

Music

Best Lyrics: Muthu Ratna for March 22 (Kannada)

Best Music Direction (Songs): A.R. Rahman for Kaatru Veliyidai (Tamil)

Best Music Direction (Background score): A.R. Rahman for Mom (Hindu)

Best Location Sound Recordist: Mallika Das, Village Rockstar (Assamese)

Best Sound Design: Walking With The Wind (Ladakhi)

Best Female playback Singer- Shasha Tirupati for Vaan Varuvaan from Kaatru Veliyidai (Tamil)

Best Male Playback Singer: Yesudas for Poy Maranja Kalam fromViswasapoorva M Mansoor (Malayalam)

Production

Best Make Up artist- Ram Razak for Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)

Best Production Design: Santosh Rajan for Take off (Malayalam)

Best Editing: Reema Das for Village Rockstar (Assamese)

Best Costume: Gobinda Mandal for Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)

Screenplay

Best Original Screenplay: Sajeev Pazhoor forThondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (Malayalam)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Jairaj for Bhayankam (Malayalam)

Best Dialogues: Sambit Mohanty for Hello Arsi (Odiya)

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