69th National Film Awards unveiled: Rocketry, Ek Tha Gaon take top honors

The highly-anticipated 69th National Film Awards winners for the year 2021 were announced today, shining a spotlight on the best in Indian cinema. The Jury, comprised of prominent filmmakers and film personalities, convened ahead of the announcement with Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, who expressed his gratitude for their diligent selection process. “Today India is the largest filmmaker in the world, with the potential to become the content hub of the world. Our films are gaining global recognition, be it BAFTA or the Oscars. This is our time,” Thakur proclaimed.

Best Feature Film went to “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect,” while the Best Non-Feature Film was awarded to “Ek Tha Gaon,” directed by Srishti Lakhera. The awards were announced by Ketan Mehta, Chairperson for Feature Films Jury, Vasanth S Sai, Chairperson for Non-feature Films Jury, and Yatindra Mishra, Best Writing on Cinema Jury, in the presence of Neerja Sekhar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Taking home the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration was “The Kashmir Files.” Meanwhile, “RRR” clinched the Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Allu Arjun won Best Actor for his role in “Pushpa (The Rise Part I),” whereas Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon were declared joint winners of the Best Actress Award for their performances in “Gangubai Kathiawadi” and “Mimi,” respectively.

Supporting roles weren’t left behind either. Pankaj Tripathi received the Best Supporting Actor Award, and Pallavi Joshi earned Best Supporting Actress, rounding off a spectacular year for Indian cinema.

With these accolades, the 69th National Film Awards cements India’s growing reputation as a global film powerhouse, amplifying the Union Minister’s sentiment that indeed, “this is our time.”