Adarsh Gourav played the leading role of Balram Halwai in The White Tiger. (Photo: Netflix and Lionsgate) Adarsh Gourav, who was nominated for the BAFTA in the best leading actor category for his performance in Netflix’s The White Tiger, lost the award to Anthony Hopkins. The veteran Welsh actor clinched the trophy for his performance in The Father even as Nomadland took home four awards including the best film nod.
Gourav received praise for his portrayal of Balram Halwai in The White Tiger, which also featured Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra. The film, directed by Ramin Bahrani, revolves around the character of Balram, a native of Laxmangarh village, who rises from his humble background to become a successful entrepreneur.
The story deals with topics as varied as globalisation, social and economic mobility, caste oppression, morality and so on.
Congratulations to @AnthonyHopkins who wins the Leading Actor BAFTA for his heartbreaking performance in The Father #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/RBNeP7Xrj2
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) April 11, 2021
Gourav had earlier expressed his thoughts about his BAFTA nomination while speaking with PTI. He said, “The BAFTA nomination is really overwhelming. It feels like I’m reading a chapter from a book.”
“See you down the road” 🛣️ Chloé Zhao dedicates the #EEBAFTAs Best Film win for @nomadlandfilm to the nomadic community. pic.twitter.com/QXtAeuRMOC
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) April 11, 2021
On the second night of the ceremony, Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland took home the top prize of best film. It also won three more awards, making it the biggest winner of the awards overall. Zhao also won the best director BAFTA, becoming only the second woman to receive the honour, and first of colour.
Nomadland also won in best cinematography (for Joshua James Richards) and best actress (for Frances McDormand).
The film stars McDormand as a middle-aged woman who loses her job and becomes a nomad, living in her van and picking up short-term work opportunities. The film was an exploration of America’s nomad community.
The Original Screenplay award goes to Emerald Fennell’s revenge tale, Promising Young Woman. #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/EFzBpwKSXc
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) April 11, 2021
Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan, was declared the best British film. The Father, apart from the best leading actor trophy, also took home the best adapted screenplay award.
In this file photo, Director Chloe Zhao, left, appears with actress Frances McDormand on the set of Nomadland. The film was the big winner of the night. (Photo: Searchlight Pictures via AP, FIle)
Daniel Kaluuya won in the best supporting actor category for Judas and the Black Messiah. Yuh-Jung Youn was declared the winner in the best supporting actress category for Minari. The latter joked that the award meant more to her as the British were “snobbish”.
🙌 Congrats to Yuh-Jung Youn, who stole our hearts in @MinariMovie and takes the BAFTA for Supporting Actress at tonight’s #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/NRtX1MadBH
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) April 11, 2021
Thomas Vinterberg’s Danish film Another Round (original title Druk), starring Mads Mikkelsen, won in the best foreign film category.
Pixar’s Soul took home the best animated film trophy, bolstering its chances of an Oscar statuette further.
Earlier, on the opening night, Sound of Metal had won the trophies in the sound and editing categories. Tenet was declared the film with best visual effects. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom won in the Costume design and Make up and hair categories.
BAFTAs are British equivalent to Oscars. They honour the best in national and international cinema.
Eight of the 25 winners were unveiled on April 10. Winners in the rest of the categories were revealed on April 11.
Complete list of winners at BAFTA 2021
Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins for The Father
Best Film: Nomadland
Best Animated Film: Soul
Best Director: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Outstanding British Film: Promising Young Woman
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: His House, Remi Weekes (Writer/Director)
Best Film Not In English Language: Another Round
Best Documentary: My Octopus Teacher
Best Original Screenplay: Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Father, Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
Best Leading Actress: Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Best Leading Actor: Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Original Score: Soul, Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Best Casting: Rocks
Best Cinematography: Nomadland
Bafta Academy Fellowship: Ang Lee
EE Rising Star award: Bukky Bakray
Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer: His House, Remi Weekes (Writer/Director)
Editing: Sound of Metal, Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
Production Design: Mank, Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale
Costume Design: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Ann Roth
Special Visual Effects: Tenet, Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley
Make up & Hair: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Matiki Anoff, Larry M. Cherry, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal
Sound: Sound of Metal, Jaime Baksht, Nicolas Becker, Phillip Bladh, Carlos Cortés, Michelle Couttolenc
British Short Animation: The Owl and The Pussycat, Mole Hill, Laura Duncalf
British Short Film: The Present, Farah Nabulsi
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