Mumbai (Commonwealth Union)_ The 69th National Film Awards ceremony unfolded at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, where President Droupadi Murmu presided over the presentation of these esteemed awards. Announced in August, the recipients of the National Awards for the year 2021 graced the event, highlighting the achievements of the Indian film industry. The awards recognized notable talents such as Allu Arjun, named Best Actor, while Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon both secured the Best Actress accolade.
Additionally, films like “RRR,” “Sardar Udham,” “Gangubai Kathiawadi,” and “The Kashmir Files” earned multiple honors. “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect” was acclaimed as the Best Feature Film. The prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award was conferred upon legendary actress Waheeda Rehman. Alia Bhatt, adorned in her Sabyasachi wedding saree and a floral arrangement in her hair, accepted her Best Actress award with grace.
Accompanied by her husband, Ranbir Kapoor, she expressed her gratitude on the red carpet, dubbing her National Award win as a “pinch me moment.” Alia’s exceptional performance in “Gangubai Kathiawadi” secured her this accolade. Similar to Alia, Kriti Sanon also chose an elegant cream saree and floral adornments for the occasion. Kriti, who shared the Best Actress award with Alia for her role in “Mimi,” where she portrayed a surrogate mother, felt “blessed and fortunate” to have embodied such a multifaceted character. She conveyed that it resonated with her from the start of filming.
Allu Arjun, recipient of the Best Actor award for “Pushpa: The Rise,” described his win as a “double achievement” due to the recognition for a commercial film. As one of Telugu cinema’s prominent stars, he portrayed the titular gangster in “Pushpa: The Rise” and will reprise his role in the sequel, “Pushpa: The Rule.” R. Madhavan, who directed “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect,” proudly accepted the award for Best Feature Film and expressed his profound satisfaction with the journey. He said, “My God, it’s been worth it”.
National Award recipients Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Karan Johar, and Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta embarked on a journey from Mumbai to partake in the ceremony, where they celebrated their significant contributions to Indian cinema. Meanwhile, Allu Arjun, SS Rajamouli, and MM Keeravaani were spotted at Delhi airport in anticipation of the grand event.
