Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva by Ayan Mukherji has won the best AVGC film and A Coconut Tree by Joshy Benedict has won the best animated film awards at National Film Awards 2024. The jury for the 70th National Film Awards announced the winners for the year 2022 on 16 August.
The Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Brahmastra has more than 3000 VFX shots and was widely applauded for its cosmic-style visual effects. DNEG India and London, along with ReDefine studio, worked on the VFX of this fantasy adventure feature film.
A Coconut Tree is a silent film directed and animated by Benedict, an accomplished artist from Kerala. His debut graphic novel The Pig Flip, originally released in Malayalam as Pannimalath, received widespread acclaim within Kerala’s artistic and literary communities. His first independent animated short, A Coconut Tree, was showcased at various festivals both in India and internationally. Throughout his career, he has served as a creative director and animator on numerous animation projects, both in India and abroad.
The ceremony was livestreamed on YouTube. The awards Jury comprised of eminent filmmakers and film personalities from across the Indian cine-world. The awards were announced by Feature Films Jury chairperson Rahul Rawail, Non-feature Films Jury chairperson Dr. Nila Madhab Panda, and Best Writing on Cinema Jury Gangadhar Mudaliar in the presence of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting joint secretary (films) Vrunda Desai.
Below is the full list of winners in various categories:
Feature Films
- Best Film: Aattam [The Play] (Malayalam)
- Best Debut Film of a Director: Fouja (Haryanvi)
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kantara (Kannada)
- Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values: Kutch Express (Gujarati)
- Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects Gaming & Comic): Brahmastra Part 1 (Hindi)
- Best Direction: Sooraj Barjatya – Uunchai (Hindi)
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: Rishab Shetty – Kantara (Kannada)
- Best Actress in Leading Role: Nithya Menen – Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil) & Manasi Parekh – Kutch Express (Gujarati)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Pavan Raj Mallhotra – Fouja (Haryanvi)
- Best Actress in Supporting Role: Neena Gupta – Uunchai (Hindi)
- Best Child Artiste: Sreepath – Malikappuram (Malayalam)
- Best Male Playback Singer: Arijit Singh for “Kesariya” – Brahmastra: Part 1
- Best Female Playback Singer: Bombay Jayashri for “Chaayum Veyil” – Saudi Vellakka (Malayalam)
- Best Cinematography: Ravi Varmam – Ponniyin Selvan 1 (Tamil)
- Best Screenplay: Anand Ekarshi – Aatam (Malayalam)
- Best Dialogue Writer: Arpita Mukherjee and Rahul V Chittela – Gulmohar (Hindi)
- Best Sound Design: Anand Krishnamoorthy – Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1 (Tamil)
- Best Editing: Mahesh Bhuvanend – Aattam (Malayalam)
- Best Production Design: Ananda Addhya – Aparajito (Bengali)
- Best Costume Design: Niki Joshi – Kutch Express (Gujarati)
- Best Make-Up Artist: Somnath Kundu – Aparajito (Bengali)
- Best Music Direction for Songs: Pritam – Brahmastra: Part 1 – Shiva
- Best Music Direction for Background Scores: AR Rahman for Ponniyin Selvan 2
- Best Lyrics: Naushad Sadar Khan for “Salaami” – Fouja (Haryanvi)
- Best Choreography: Jani Master and Sathish Krishnan for “Megham Karukatha” – Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil)
- Best Action Direction Award (Stunt Choreography): Anbariv – KGF Chapter 2
Best Feature Films by Languages
- Assamese – Emuthi Puthi by Kulanandini Mahanta
- Bengali – Kaberi Antardhan by Kaushik Gangula
- Hindi – Gulmohar by Rahul V. Chittella
- Kannada – KGF: Chapter 2 by Prashanth Neel
- Malayalam – Saudi Vellakka by Tharun Moorthy
- Marathi – Vaalvi by Paresh Mokashi
- Odia – Daman by Vishal Mourya and Debi Prasad Lenka
- Punjabi – Baghi Di Dhee by Mukesh Gautam
- Tamil – Ponniyin Selvan Part 1, by Mani Ratnam
- Telugu – Karthikeya 2, Chandoo Mondeti
- Best Tiwa Film: Sikaisal by Dr. Bobby Sarma Baruah
- Special Mention: Gulmohar – Manoj Bajpayee
Best Non-Feature Films
- Best Non-Feature Film: Ayena (Hindi) by Siddhant Sarin
- Best Debut Film of a Director: Basti Dinesh Shenoy – Madhyantara (Kannada)
- Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film: Aanaki Ek Mohenjo Daro (Marathi) by Ashok Rane
- Best Arts and Culture Film: Ranga Vibhoga (Kannada) by Suneel Narasimhachar Puranik & Varsa (Marathi) by Sachin Balasaheb Suryawanshi
- Best Documentary: Murmurs of the Jungle by Sahil Vaidya
- Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values: On The Brink Season 2: Gharial (English) by Akansha Sood Singh
- Best Animation Film: A Coconut Tree by Joshy Benedict
- Best Short Film: Xunyota (Assamese) by Nabapan Deka
- Best Direction: Miriam Chandy Menacherry for From The Shadow (Bengali/Hindi/English)
- Best Cinematography: Siddharth Diwan for Mono No Aware (Hindi & English)
- Best Sound Design: Manas Choudhury for Yaan (Hindi/Malwi)
- Best Editing: Suresh URS for Madhyantara (Kannada)
- Best Music Direction: Vishal Bharadwaj for Fursat (Hindi)
- Best Narration/Voice Over: Sumant Shinde for Murmurs Of The Jungle (Marathi)
- Best Script: Koushik Sarkar for Mono No Aware (Hindi & English)
- Special Mention: Birubala (Assamese) by Aimee Baruah and Hargila – The Greater Adjutant Stork (Assamese) by Partha Sarathi Mahant
