Mainstream hits and patriotism narratives win big at the 69th National Film Awards
With most visible and popular awards being given to mainstream films, preferably with a patriotic flavour, independent regional films take a backseat this year at the National Film Awards.
The 69th National Film Awards announced its list of winners with a confusing mixed approach to nominees from both 2021 and 2022. The pandemic, which led to the postponement of releases, saw the awards return after a gap of two years.
This year’s winners’ list seemed more of an effort to strike a balance. Last year, in its 68th version, Hindi cinema got a cold shoulder from the National Film Awards, and mainstream cinema took a backseat. This time around, mainstream Bollywood and South Indian cinema took centre stage.
A balancing act
Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) and Sardar Udham (2021) both won multiple awards, with the former finding recognition despite its clear commercial tone. Although Best Actor and the Best Film award didn’t come its way, RRR (2022)—another blockbuster movie—won multiple technical awards.
Alia Bhatt as Gangubai | Source: Twitter
Perhaps there wasn't much choice left in terms of giving these awards to any other film, given the global popularity of SS Rajamouli’s film. Similarly, Pushpa: the Rise (2021), a masala film by any measure, won the Best Actor prize and Best Songs, again ensuring a South Indian presence in top categories.
In doing this fine balancing act between popular cinemas from two bustling film industries, the National Awards have missed some qualitative films, sparking criticism.
Films like the Malayalam movie Minnal Murali (2021), Tamil movies Sarpatta (2021) and Karnan (2021) didn’t win anything, sparking criticism from fans. Suriya-starrer Jai Bhim (2021), a powerful film on caste violence, also didn’t make it to the winners’ list. Conceptually and qualitatively, these films became popular on OTT.
Malayalam films have found very little space on the winning list as well, given their niche audience. The winners from this industry were: Shahi Kabir for Nayattu (2021), for Best Screenplay (Original); and Home (2021) by Rojin Thomas, for Best Malayalam Film; and a Special Mention for veteran actor Indrans for his performance in it. Most films from the Malayalam industry tend to be true to life, with little presence of hyper patriotic narratives.
Sardar Udham (2021) by Shoojit Sircar won five awards–Best Hindi Film, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Audiography, and Best Production Design. A fine film, its leading man Vicky Kaushal, however, didn’t win. Instead, Allu Arjun took home Best Actor for his transformation in Pushpa: The Rise (2021), becoming the first Telugu actor to win the award.
Best Actress went jointly to Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) along with Kriti Sanon for Mimi (2021). Pankaj Tripathi won a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor award for the commercial drama Mimi.
Bhatt delivered her career-best performance as and in Gangubai, playing the role of a sex worker that takes up cudgels for their childrens’ education. Highly dramatic and steeped in signature Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s glossy filmmaking, Bhatt’s performance stands out for its vulnerability and consistency.
Gangubai Kathiawadi also won Bhansali Best Screenplay (Adapted), along with Utkarshini Vashishta; and Best Dialogue, which Bhansali won with Prakash Kapadia.
Bhansali also won Best Editing, and Best Make-up went to Preetisheel Singh for the film. An auteur with a penchant for operatic cinema, Bhansali’s originality has made him a favourite with these government backed awards over the years. He has earlier won five National Film Awards including Best Director for Bajirao Mastani (2015).
Patriotism takes the front seat
Even as Hindi mainstream won top technical and mainstream awards, South Indian films made their presence felt. R Madhavan’s effort to turn producer paid off with his film Rocketry (2022) winning Best Feature Film.
RRR, India’s Oscar entry, won The Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Besides this, it won six technical awards–Best Choreography for Prem Rakshith, Best Stunt Choreography for King Soloman, Best Male Playback Singer for Kaala Bhairava, Best Music Direction (Background Music) for MM Keeravaani, B Srivinas Mohan for Best Special Effects. That RRR hasn’t won for Best Direction or Best Film is surprising, given its scale, imagination and cinematic grandeur. Perhaps the direct patriotism associated with Rocketry gave it an edge in a patriotism-laced National Awards winners list.
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Pushpa: The Rise scored a second win with Best Music Director (Songs) for Devi Sri Prasad. Given the fact that the item number from this film, Oo Antanava became a party hit across India, this award is well deserved.
The National Film Awards kept up with supporting regional cinema by awarding a Maithili film, Samanantar (2021), and a Mishing film Boomba Ride (2021). Chello Show (2022), the Gujarati film that had independently contested at the Oscars, won Best Gujarati film, and Best Child Actor for Bhavin Ravari.
Despite being criticised for its liberal adaptation of the classic film Cinema Paradiso (1988), this Gujarati film has won audiences across India. Nikhil Mahajan took home the Best Director award for Godavari (2021).
The most predictable win is that of The Kashmir Files (2022) for the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film On National Integration. Pallavi Joshi won the Best Supporting Actress prize for the same film.
With patriotic themes winning above storytelling quality or authenticity, it is not surprising that Vishnu Vardhan directed Shershaah (2021), based on the life of late Captain Vikram Batra, has won a Special Jury Mention.
In the past, the National Film Awards highlighted smaller independent and regional films that struggled to find theatres or release platforms. Their recognition kept authentic and vernacular cinema thriving.
(The copy was updated to fix style errors)
Edited by Affirunisa Kankudti