2005 National Film Awards
After a long delay due to legal issues, the National Film awards for 2005 have finally been announced. As has been the trend in recent years, Tamil cinema has fared rather poorly with only a few awards in the major categories and a single movie being responsible for most of those awards. The only consolation is that Tamil cinema seems to have fared the best among regional cinema with Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films also getting very few awards and Hindi films scooping up almost all the major awards.
While there were obviously a number of news items on the awards, none of them(atleast the ones I read) provided an easy-to-read list of the awards. They mentioned the awards in no particular order with comments only about some of them and missed out a few of the award-winners. Some of them actually had erroneous information about some award-winners. So after reading multiple news items, here is the most complete, consolidated list I could come up with of the award-recipients.
Best picture - Kaalpurush
Best Director - Rahul Dholakia (Parzania)
Best Actor - Amitabh Bachan (Black)
Best Actress - Sarika (Parzania)
Best Supporting Actor - Naseerudin Shah (Iqbal)
Best Supporting Actress - Urvashi (Achuvinte Amma)
Best Music Direction - Lalgudi Jayaraman (Sringaram)
Best Lyrics - Barguru Ramachandrappa (Thaayi)
Best Cinematography - Madhu Ambat (Sringaram)
Best Screenplay - Prakash Jha, Shridhar Raghavan and Manoj Tyagi (Apaharan)
Best Art Direction - C. B. More (Taj Mahal – An Eternal Love Story)
Best Costume Designer - Anna Singh (Taj Mahal — An Eternal Love Story), Sabyachi Mukherjee (Black)
Best Choreography - Saroj Khan (Sringaram)
Best Child Artist - Sai Kumar (Bommalata – A Bellyful of Dreams)
Best Special Effects - Tata Elexi (Anniyan)
Best First Film of a director - Parineeta
Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment - Rang De Basanti
Best Audiography - Nakul Kamte (Rang De Basanti)
Best Editing - P. S. Bharathi (Rang De Basanti)
Best Male Playback Singer - Naresh Iyer (Rang De Basanti)
Best Female Playback Singer - Shreya Ghosal (Paheli)
Best Feature Film on National Integration - Daivanamathil
Best Film on Family Welfare - Thavamaai Thavamirunthu
Best Film on Other Social Issues - Iqbal
Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation - Thutturi
Best Children’s Film - Blue Umbrella
Best Film Critic - Baradwaj Rangan
Best Tamil Film - Aadum Koothu
I have seen only a few of the movies that garnered awards but among those, there's not much to complain about the awards. While the award-winners may not always have been the best(for instance, I think Mohanlal's performance in Thanmatra was way better than Amitabh's in Black), they weren't blatantly bad or unworthy of praise(as was the case when Saif Ali Khan won the Best Actor award a couple of years ago).
Coming to Tamil, Sringaram has won 3 prestigious awards - for its music, cinematography and choreography. But I haven't even heard of the film so far. While there have been movies I heard of and wanted to see but didnt(Janaki's Kanavu Meippada Vendum and Mahendran's Saasanam come to mind), I had no idea a movie like Sringaram had even been made. I'm not sure it was even released theatrically(maybe it was one of those films only sent to film festivals and submitted to award committees?) That's just sad considering the list of movies I saw in the same year included duds like Meesai Madhavan and Kicha Vayasu 16! My knowledge about the winner of the award for Best Tamil film, Aadum Koothu, is better but only slightly. While I have heard of it(it stars Cheran and I think it is about the travails of a travelling drama troupe), I thought it had been made only recently and was ready to be released! Turns out its already 2 years old...
I think something similar happened with Bharathiraja's Kadal PookkaL, which won the National award for Best Screenplay even before it was released. But it did get released soon after while the news about it winning the National award was still fresh in people's minds and did reasonably well. But with this being the awards for 2005, I'm not sure how good the chances are for Sringaram and Aadum Koothu to get released(if they haven't been released so far).
Looking forward, I'm not sure Tamil cinema's share of the 2006 National awards is going to be much bigger. I think Veyyil, which got some recognition after being sent to the Cannes Film Festival, has the best chance of getting us some awards. Then again, there could be some movie we've never even heard of, surprising us!
Balaji's Thots... [Permalink]
Your Thots (33)
33 Comments:
Am glad for Bharadwaj rangan.He deserves it. Amitabh bachan wasnt great in Black either..I go for Mohanlal too...What did Naseer do in Iqbal?? Rajkiran in TT did a far better job. Anyways our national awards never boasted that they are fair.
If a film has been certified in a year, it can be considered for the National Awards. Released or otherwise.
Best actress for Sarika.... does that make Kamal & Sarika the only husband & wife duo to get the National award in acting? (I think they are not divorced yet.)
It's not that uncommon for an unreleased film to win an award.
Just among Tamil films, one can recall Marupakkam, Oorukku Nooruper, Andhimandhaarai, Kadal Pookkal, The Terrorist, Navarasa. The list is long!
i feel bad that Siddharth got ignored for RDBasanthi. He turned in a terrific, riveting performance...
just to add to the list- I spoke with Vasanth the day I left Chennai and he shared with me the good news that he received a national award for his short film, "thakkaiyin meedhu naangu kanngall." i am proud to have the CD of that one!
Mohanlal deserves atleast a couple more.
As for Kamal, he did a better job in Salangai Oli, but they picked Indian :). Looks like Martin Scorsese's story. His other films were better than Departed :), specially Aviator.
Hey Balaji,
Before I go off for a fortnight on holiday, just wanna spread some wisdom!
Sringaram is a completed film in 2005, regarding ancient Bharathnatyam dances - it stars Manoj K. Jayan in the lead role ( the one in films like Dhool, Thirutu Payale) - However it has not been bought and distributed to cinemas.
Same with Aadum Koothu - the cheran and Navya Nair starrer - like Mayakannadi - basically has the same story: MK was made for the commercial use and AK was made for critical use and for award ceremonies.
Happy?
Thanks for a comprehensive list, Balaji. I think one of the main reasons, regional cinema does not get an award is because of the smaller audience. However as far as actors are concerned, I feel southern cinema has always been represented well, better than in other movie awards.
One thing about this year`s list, is that Sringaram has been a prominent winner. It is sad that such ultimately such a movie is never released and marketed properly.
About Aadum Koothu, it is a movie by T.V.Chandran, who has directed some wonderful movies in malayalam. In tamil apart from Aadum Koothu ( starring Cheran and Navya Nair) , he had earlier directed a movie called 'Hemavin kadhalarkal'
For the next year, yes Veyil has to be the main breadwinner.
@parthi : Kamal and Sarika were officially divorced, before sarika started acting again. So sadly we dont have a record.
@Srivatsan: I personally felt Departed was better than Aviator.
@prin: I am pretty sure Maayakannadi and Addum Koothu are totally different stories.!
\\It's not that uncommon for an unreleased film to win an award.\\
Almost all award-winning films either release in few multiplexes or unreleased ones.
More on Cheran:
He's said to have agreed to direct a film with Venkatesh.
//Best Female Playback Singer - Shreya Ghosal (Paheli)//
Highly unfair!Actually,the music director M.M.Keeravani (Or M.M.Kreem) copied the tunes from his Telugu film Okkariki Okkaru(2003) in Paheli.
Balaji,
An apology for all my comments written in the Kireedam post.I thought you might like Athadu,that's the reason why I've asked if you might watch it.Regarding the B.O. facts(About Nandu),those links were given by my friend(Who stays in Chennai) when I've asked how Nandu's running. I need not care whether it was a hit or flop in Tamil Nadu. Thanks!
Baradwaj Rangan- National award?! Very surprising to note that. For one, I didnt know that there were national awards for critics. Second I have read his reviews regularly and have visited his blog space just like I visit so many other ones. But never would I have imagined that he would have sent his nomination for such an award and managed to win it too. It is like as if you find out that your next door neighbour is suddenly the winner of Kaun banega crorepathi :-)
I have been waiting for sringaram ever since I heard it was based on bharathanatyam and had authentic dances. I bought the CD sometime back. A pity that it didn't release yet. I wonder if they could market the dvds in such cases. There are lots of us who would buy them.
In general, the awards have been a joke mostly with politics and lobbying. But for Baradwaj's sake I am glad he won it.
Ganesh, Cheran's currently busy acting in 'Pirivom Sandhippom' directed by Karu Pazhaniappan opposite Sneha.
And distributing Aadum Koothu as well as planning for Autograph 2 - I doubt he'll have time to go into Andhra Pradesh and direct Venkatesh.
And Balaji, for the National Award for Best Critic for 2007!
iqbal was a nice sports movie. it focused on a mute boy who aspires to play international cricket. very breezy and light. glad it was noticed.
I saw Srirangam, you aren't missing much. The costumes and photography are nice but the story is silly and the dance is not really bn. Saroj Khan choreographed it.
Their obsession for Amitabh continues with this Best actor award. He comes up with a very average performance (among his numerous forgettable roles) and the national award is presented to him on a platter. I though his Black performance was over the top and too artificial, especially during the scenes when he is shown suffering from the disease.
Me too glad that my favorite Iqbal bagged an award. That was such a unique and heart warming movie.
Srivatsan,
There are many examples like that, who deserves an award but got for the wrong movies IMO..its like saying sorry should have given it u long back...
1) Kevin Spacey for American Beauty, he has done better in many than this.
2) Denzel Washington for Training Days, he was way better in MalconX, or Glory, etc.
3) Russell Crowe for Gladiator, he deserved for Insider or LA Confidential
4) Steven Speilbery for Schlinder's List, IMO deserved for E.T, but poor thing he was against Gandhi which bagged 8 oscars and ET got only 3 for effects and sound.
Kudos to Baradwaj Rangan. In the field of critics writing about popular culture in English, the dude's a certified rock star! Witty, insightful,caustic but never condescending, his reviews mine and draw you deep into sub text while his contemporaries skate on shallow waters.
Between Blogical Conclusions and BBThots, I have my one stop (or in this case, 2 stop) info center on Indian pop culture. Keep up the great work guys!
Russell Crowe actually deserved it the next year after Gladiator for The beautiful mind, but wasnt given :( I was shocked when saif got the award for Humtum. He was just being cute and drunk and flirty in the movie...he did a better job in Omkara though. Lets see what 2006 awards have in store.
I agree with KK that both the B's rock :)
'There are many examples like that, who deserves an award but got for the wrong movies IMO..its like saying sorry should have given it u long back...'
So for what movie of his is Amitabh getting this award for?
Anyway he already got 1 for Agneepath didn't he.
-KP
//The only consolation is that Tamil cinema seems to have fared the best among regional cinema with Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films also getting very few awards and Hindi films scooping up almost all the major awards.//
I f Maniratnam made a Bombay kind of film on Gujarat riots,these awards might have come to Tamil films.Because,Parzania is not a well-made film,yet it won so many awards only because Congress is in power.(Ofcourse,I too oppose the violence which occured then.)
Regarding,Parineeta,Pradeep Sarkar must consider himself lucky that his film hero is Saif Ali Khan.
And Prin,even Venkatesh will not act in a new film till October(As he's busy with Tulasi now.).So the news can be true.
The National awards are a complete joke and have been for a long time. Sivaji (Ganesan) never got a Best actor award while MGR and Saif have one - enough said! My fave National award controversy will be the people in Bollywood getting angry that Vikram (Pitamagan) beat out Hritik (Koi Mil gaya)!!
In any case, congrats to Baradwaj Ranagan! As someone said before, it feels like a friend has won the National award. Maybe someone should nominate BB too :)
Kumar
hi BB
sringaram is releasing sep 14th and i beg to differ with anon,cos i hv seen it,liked it v much and darn good attempt by a debut director( ess)!
pat on BR's back..BB hope u r soon to follow :)
BB u havent written abt jo and her baby girl??? :(born last night
mom and daughter safe and sound !
source: ind exp
//the awards have been a joke mostly with politics and lobbying.//
@vijay, how true! i lost the little respect i had for the awards, when Bhavatharani got one.
Parthi you are correct in saying that Sarika And Kamal are the only couple to have won The national award, that too not one each. kamal has won two so has sarika.They are not divorced. I know this because my friend has worked with Sarika and said that Sarika believes in her commitment to a marriage and did not want a divorce even though Kamal is openly living with gauthami. So there you have your record Parthi
Krishnan..Kamal has three national awards - Moondram Pirai, Nayagan and Indian
Kumar
//kamal has won two so has sarika//
The first(For Sarika.) was for costume designing(Film-Hey! Ram) though.
At that time,I believe they were not divorced.(I do not care more about actors' personal lives.) So the record was already created and not now.
//I do not care more about actors' personal lives.//
I don't either. It was just interesting that with so many married couples acting, only one has got awards for best acting.
Sringaram is being released on Sept. 21. yes, it is a pity it has taken so long to get to us but i guess better late than never. I think the music award is well-deserved. The CD is available at Carnatica.com. The lyrics are fresh and simple but poetic. I will still have to wait a while to see it in the US. But i have heard excellent reviews for its multilayered approach to themes and relationships.
Saw Sringaram - superb film, evocative,thought provoking and authentic absorbing and entertaining an unusual combination! Being releaed on the 21st of September.
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