The winners of the 68th National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi. Established in 1954, the prestigious awards are administered by the Government of India’s Directorate of Film Festivals. Because of Covid-19-related delays, this year’s ceremony honoured films from 2020, across several categories.
Winners List
Feature Films
- Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru
- Best Director: Sachy, Ayyappanum Koshiyum
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Tanhaji
- Best Actor: Suriya for Soorarai Pottru and Ajay Devgn for Tanhaji
- Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali, Soorarai Pottru
- Best Supporting Actor: Biju Menon, Ayyappanum Koshiyam
- Best Supporting Actress: Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli, Sivaranjaniyum Innam Sila Pengallum
- Best Screenplay: Soorarai Pottru, Shalini Usha Nair and Sudha Kongara
- Best Screenplay (Dialogue Writer): Madonne Ashwin, Mandela
- Best Music Direction (Songs): Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Thaman S
- Best Music Direction (Background Music): Soorarai Pottru, GV Prakash
- Best Male Playback Singer: Rahul Deshpande for Mi Vasantrao
- Best Female Playback Singer: Nanchamma, Ayyappanum Koshiyam
- Best Lyrics: Saina, Manoj Muntashir
- Best Audiography (Location Sound Recordist): Jobin Jayan, Dollu
- Best Audiography (Sound Designer): Anmol Bhave, Mi Vasantrao
- Best Audiography (Re-recordist of the final mixed track): Vishnu Govind and Sree Sankar for Malik
- Best Choreography: Sandhya Raju, Natyam
- Best Cinematography: Avijatrik, Supratim Bhol
- Best Costume Design: Nachiket Barve and Mahesh Sherla, Tanhaji
- Best Production Design: Anees Nadodi, Kappela
- Best Editing: Sreekar Prasad, Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum
- Best Make-up: TV Rambabu, Natyam
- Best Stunt Choreography: Rajasekhar, Mafia Sasi and Supreme Sunder, Ayyappanum Koshiyum
- Special Mention: Aimee Baruah for Semkhor, Vaanku, June, Kishore Kadam for Avwanchhit & Godakaath, and Varun Buddhadev for Toolsidas Junior
- Best Hindi Film: Toolsidas Junior
- Best Kannada Film: Dollu
- Best Malayalam Film: Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam
- Best Tamil Film: Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum
- Best Telugu Film: Colour Photo
- Best Haryanvi Film: Dada Lakhmi
- Best Dimasa Film: Samkhor
- Best Tulu Film: Jeetige
- Best Marathi Film: Goshta Eka Paithanichi
- Best Bengali Film: Avijatrik
- Best Assamese Film: The Bridge
- Best Child Artist: Anish Mangesh Gosavi for Tak-Tak
- Best Children’s Film: Sumi
- Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation: Talendanda
- Best Film on Social Issue: Funeral
- Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director: Mandela
Non-feature Films
- Best Non-feature Film: Testimony of Anna
- Best Environment Film: Manah Aru Manuh
- Best Film on Family Values: Kukumarchan
- Best Short Fiction Film: Kachichinithu
- Best Investigative Film: The Saviour: Brig. Pritam Singh
- Best Promotional Film: Surmounting Challenges
- Best Science and Technology Film: On the Brink Season 2 – Bats
- Best Exploration Film: Wheeling The Ball
- Best Educational Film: Dreaming of Words
- Best Film on Social Issues: Justice Delayed But Delivered and Three Sisters
- Best Arts and Culture Film: Naadada Navaneeta DR PT Venkateshkumar
- Best Biographical Film: Pabung Syam
- Best Ethnographic Film: Mandal ke Bol
- Best Debut Non-feature Film of a Director: Pariah
- Best Direction: Oh That’s Bhanu, RV Ramani
- Best Cinematography: Shabdikkunna Kalappa, Nikhil S Praveen
- Best Audiography: Pearl of the Desert, Ajit Singh Rathore
- Best Narration Voiceover: Rhapsody of Rains – Monsoons of Kerala, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan
- Best Music Direction: 1232 kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar, Vishal Bhardwaj
- Best Editing: Borderlands, Anadi Athaley
- Best On Location Sound: Jadui Jangal, Sandip Bhati and Pradeep Lekhwar
- Special Jury Award: Admitted, Ojaswee Sharma
- Best Book on Cinema: The Longest Kiss by Kishwar Desai
- Best Book on Cinema (Special Mention): MT Anunahvangalude Pusthakam, Anoop Ramakrishnan and Kali Paine Kalira Cinema by Surya Deo
- Best Film Critic: No winner this year.
- Most Film Friendly State: Madhya Pradesh