On October 8, 2024, President Droupadi Murmu presided over the 70th National Film Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The event aimed to honor individuals and films that have made significant contributions to Indian cinema. A notable moment of the evening was the presentation of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, recognizing his exceptional career and dedication to the industry.
Among the awardees, Rishab Shetty won the Best Actor award for his compelling performance in Kantara, while the Best Actress title was jointly awarded to Nithya Menen for Thiruchitrambalam and Manasi Parekh for Kutch Express. The award for Best Feature Film was given to Aattam (The Play), directed by Anand Ekarshi, while Gulmohar was recognized as the Best Hindi Film.
In her address, President Murmu highlighted the transformative power of cinema, stating that films reflect the evolving artistic sensibilities of society. She acknowledged that while life and art standards are changing, core values such as love, compassion, and service remain central to our collective experience, and these values were exemplified by the films celebrated at the event.
In the non-feature film category, Ayena (Mirror), directed by Siddhant Sarin, was honored as the Best Non-Feature Film. The Best Book on Cinema award was presented to Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography, authored by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar.
Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva, directed by Ayan Mukerji, received the Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comic) category, with special recognition given to its VFX supervisors Jaykar Arudra, Viral Thakkar, and Neelesh Gore for their groundbreaking work. Additionally, Kantara was acknowledged as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
In the supporting role categories, Pavan Raj Malhotra won Best Supporting Actor, and Neena Gupta was awarded Best Supporting Actress for their exceptional performances in feature films.
The ceremony celebrated the diversity and evolving landscape of Indian cinema, highlighting both artistic and technical achievements that continue to inspire audiences worldwide.
