58th National Film Awards

58^th National Film Awards were announced May 19. Prior to announcing the awards the jury members met Information & Broadcasting Minister Smt. Ambika Soni and submitted her the list of awardees. Feature Films jury was headed by Shri J.P. Dutta, Non-Feature Films jury was headed by Shri A.K. Bir and Best Writing on Cinema jury was headed by Shri Ashok Vajpeyi. 

Tamil films stole the spotlight with 12 Awards, films from the other southern states also did well. 'Adaminte Makan Abu' which shows “humanist values freeing matters of faith from the constrictions of narrow parochialism” bagged four awards, while Kannada films won in the categories for children’s films and films on environment.

Set in the world of cockfighting, Aadukulam, “a gritty tale of love, jealousy and betrayal in the midst of bloodsport and violence, in the manner of realistic cinema”, bagged five awards. Apart from Best Director, Vetrimaran was also awarded as the best original screenplay writer and the film also won top honours in the editing and choreography categories. 

Other Tamil films on the winner’s podium include Endhiran (Special Effects and Production Design), Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Best Actress for Saranya Ponvannan and Lyrics), Namma Gramam (Best Supporting Actress for Sukumari and Costume Design) and Mynaa (Best Supporting Actor for J. Thambi Ramaiah). 

Ten Awards went to Marathi films, including “Baboo Band Baaja” by debuntant director Rajesh Pinjani, which tells of a child caught in the crossfire of his parents’ arguments over his education. It bagged three awards, including one for child actor Vivek Chabukswar, who shared his award with Shantanu Ranganekar and Machindra Gadkar who portrayed brothers in the Marathi film “Champions” and Harsh Mayar from the Hindi film “I am Kalam”. In fact, the jury has reportedly asked the Ministry to expand this section next year by presenting separate awards to male and female child artists. 

In the sweep of southern and Marathi films, Bollywood was pushed to the background this year with “Dabangg” (Best Popular Film) and Ishqiya being the only winners.

58th National Film Awards Winners List

Best Feature Film: Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)


Indira Gandhi Award For Best Debut Film Of A Director: Baboo Band Baaja (Marathi)


Award For Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Dabangg (Hindi)


Nargis Dutt Award For Best Feature Film On National Integration: Moner Manush (Bengali)


Best Film On Social Issues: Champions (Marathi)


Best Film On Environment Conservation/Preservation: Bettada Jeeva (Kannada)


Best Children's Film: Hejjegalu (Kannada)


Best Direction: Vetrimaran, Aadukalam (Tamil)

Best Actor: Dhanush, Aadukalam (Tamil) / Salim Kumar, Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)

Best Actress: Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar, Baboo Band Baaja (Marathi) / Saranya Ponvannan, Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil)

Best Supporting Actor: J. Thambi Ramaiah, Mynaa (Tamil)

Best Supporting Actress: Sukumari, Namma Gramam (Tamil)

Best Child Artist: Harsh Mayar, I am Kalam (Hindi) / Shantanu Ranganekar and Machindra Gadkar, Champions (Marathi) / Vivek Chabukswar, Baboo Band Baaja (Marathi)

Best Male Playback Singer: Suresh Wadkar, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi)

Best Female Playback Singer: Rekha Bhardwaj, Ishqiya (Hindi)

Best Cinematography: Madhu Ambat, Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)

Best Screenplay - Original: Vetrimaran, Aadukalam (Tamil) / Adapted: Anant Mahadevan & Sanjay Pawar, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi) / Dialogues: Sanjay Pawar, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi)

Best Audiography: Location Sound Recordist: Kaamod Kharade, Ishqiya (Hindi) / Sound Designer: Subhadeep Sengupta, Chitrasutram (Malayalam) / Re-recordist: Debajit Changmai, Ishqiya (Hindi)

Best Editing: T.E. Kishore, Aadukalam (Tamil)

Best Production Design: Sabu Cyril, Endhiran (Tamil)

Best Costune Designer: Indrans Jayan, Namma Gramam (Tamil)

Best Make-Up Artist: Vikram Gaikwad, Moner Manush (Bengali)

Best Music Direction: Music Director (Songs): Vishal Bhardwaj, Ishqiya (Hindi) / Music Director (Background Score): Issak Thomas Kottakapally, Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam)

Best Lyrics: Vairamuthu, Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil)

Special Jury Award: Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi)

Best Special Effects: V. Srinivas M Mohan, Enthiran (Tamil)

Best Choreography: Dinesh Kumar, Aadukalam (Tamil)

Best Assamese Film: Jetuka Patar Dare


Best Bengali Film: Ami Aadu

Best Hindi Film: Do Dooni Char

Best Kannada Film: Puttakkana Highway

Best Malayalam Film: Veettilekkulla Vazhi

Best Marathi Film: Mala Aai Vhhaychay

Best Tamil Film: Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru

Best English Film: Memories in March

Special Mention: Bettada Jeeva (Kannada), Aadukalam (Tamil)