55th National Film Awards

The 55th National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 2007.[1]

55th National Film Awards
Awarded forBest of Indian cinema in 2007
Awarded byDirectorate of Film Festivals
Presented byPratibha Patil
(President of India)
Announced on7 September 2009 (2009-09-07)
Presented on21 October 2009 (2009-10-21)
SiteVigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
Official websitedff.nic.in
Highlights
Best Feature FilmKanchivaram
Best Non-Feature FilmHope Dies Last In War
Best BookFrom Raj to Swaraj: The Non-fiction Film In India
Best Film CriticV. K. Joseph
Dadasaheb Phalke AwardManna Dey
Most awards  Gandhi, My Father
  Taare Zameen Par (3)

Three different committees were instituted in order to judge the various entries for feature film, non-feature film and best writing on cinema sections; headed by National award winner director, Sai Paranjpye, for feature films and Ashoke Viswanathan along with Namita Gokhale for non-feature films and best writing on cinema sections, respectively.[2]

Each chairperson announced the award on 7 September 2009[3] for their respective sections and award ceremony took place at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi with President of India, Pratibha Patil giving away the awards on 21 October 2009.[4][5]

Awards

Awards were divided into feature films, non-feature films and books written on Indian cinema.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lifetime achievement award is given to the prominent personality from the Indian film industry for the significant contributions given.

Juries

A committee consisting four eminent personalities from Indian film industry was appointed to evaluate the lifetime achievement award, Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Following were the jury members:[6]

Name of Award Awardee(s) Awarded As Awards
Dadasaheb Phalke Award Manna Dey[7] Playback singer Swarna Kamal, 1,000,000 and a Shawl

Feature Films

Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 55th National Film Awards, a Tamil film, Kanchivaram won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film; whereas a Hindi film, Gandhi, My Father won the maximum number of awards (3). Following were the awards given in each category:[1][8]

Juries

A committee headed by Sai Paranjpye was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members:[1][2]

All India Award

Following were the awards given:[1][8]

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal[1][8]

All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.

Name of Award Name of Film Language Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best Feature Film Kanchivaram Tamil Producer: Percept Picture Company
Director: Priyadarshan
2,50,000/- Each
Citation: For presenting a rare portrayal of Kanchi's silk weaver community, and the internal struggle of a weaver caught between his ideals and personal reams. A vibrant story and technical excellence blend to create a total cinematic experience.
Best Debut Film of A Director Frozen Hindi, Ladakhi Producer: Shivajee Chandrabhushan
Director: Shivajee Chandrabhushan
1,25,000/- Each
Citation: For bringing to life with warmth and vivacity life in those distant desolate snow bound heights where existence itself is a fulltime challenge.
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment Chak De! India Hindi Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Shimit Amin
2,00,000/- Each
Citation: For thoroughly entertaining the audience, making one proud to be an Indian. A masterpiece of inspired filmmaking.
Best Children's Film Foto Hindi Producer: Children's Film Society
Director: Virendra Saini
1,50,000/- Each
Citation: For unfolding a magic world of images and sound to a talented young child by highlighting the milestones of cinema history in a lucid manner.
Best Animated Film Inimey Nangathan Tamil Producer: S. Sridevi
Director: S. Venky Baboo
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For creating endearing characters who with their breath taking quixotic antics, battle the evil force of greed, in a refreshingly new manner. For taking animation in a new direction.
Best Direction Naalu Pennungal Malayalam Adoor Gopalakrishnan 2,50,000/-
Citation: For his delicate and subtle handling of gender issues in a conventional society. Four women of different marital status are trivialised and subjected to abject neglect by their immediate partners and family.
Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal[1][8]

All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.

Name of Award Name of Film Language Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best Feature Film on National Integration Dharm Hindi Producer: Sheetal V. Talwar
Director: Bhavna Talwar
1,50,000/- Each
Citation: For powerfully bringing forth the message that humanity is of much greater value than religion. The transformation of an orthodox and superstitious priest is very beautifully depicted.
Best Film on Family Welfare Taare Zameen Par Hindi Producer: Aamir Khan
Director: Aamir Khan
1,50,000/- Each
Citation: For realistically depicting the psychological dialectic between an ordinary family driving their children to educational excellence, thereby neglecting their specially gifted child dealing with the problem of dyslexia in isolation.
Best Film on Other Social Issues Antardwand Hindi Producer: Sushil Rajpal
Director: Sushil Rajpal
1,50,000/- Each
Citation: For exposing the "marriages for sale" racket and dramatically presenting a browbeaten girl who finds her courage and her voice and rebels against her tyrannical father.
Best Actor Kanchivaram Tamil Prakash Raj 50,000/-
Citation: For his sensible multilayered portrayal of a weaver caught in a web of silken threads, woven by destiny.
Best Actress Gulabi Talkies Kannada Umashree 50,000/-
Citation: For a heart rending portrayal of the sorry plight of a wronged woman belonging to a minority community surrounded by an uncaring and hostile society.
Best Supporting Actor Gandhi, My Father   Hindi
  English
Darshan Jariwala 50,000/-
Citation: For truthfully portraying the angst of a great historical figure – Mahatma Gandhi. The Father of the Nation stands defeated in his personal relationship with his own son.
Best Supporting Actress The Last Lear English Shefali Shah 50,000/-
Citation: For her smoldering portrayal of a woman dealing with her intense relationship with an older man with a towering personality.
Best Child Artist Tingya Marathi Sharad Goekar 50,000/-
Citation: For covering the range from tenderness to angry defiance with consummate ease, while portraying Tingya – a boy whose love for his Ox is the driving force of his young life.
Best Male Playback Singer Taare Zameen Par
("Maa") [9]
Hindi Shankar Mahadevan 50,000/-
Citation: For the plaintive rendition of a soulful song which is a musical expression of a theme which touches the heart.
Best Female Playback Singer Jab We Met
("Yeh Ishq Haaye")
Hindi Shreya Ghoshal 50,000/-
Citation: For her mellifluous voice and rich tonal quality. Her rendition evokes the beauty of nature through its subtle nuances.
Best Cinematography Frozen Hindi and Ladakhi Cameraman: Shanker Raman
Laboratory Processing: Deluxe Laboratories Inc.
50,000/- Each
Citation: For the artistic and technical excellence of cinematography revealed through superb reproduction of tonalities and stark compositions, maintaining the texture on high altitude.
Best Screenplay Gandhi, My Father   Hindi
  English
Feroz Abbas Khan 50,000/-
Citation: For the imaginative and emotional handling of uncompromisingly steadfast side of the Father of the Nation with special reference to his relationship with his troublesome son.
Best Audiography 1971 Hindi Kunal Sharma 50,000/-
Citation: For capturing the mood and tension of that wartorn period which marked the climax of the deteriorating ties with our neighbours.
Best Editing Naalu Pennungal Malayalam B. Ajith Kumar 50,000/-
Citation: For presenting at a uniform pace four different stories which unfold as a single entity.
Best Art Direction Om Shanti Om Hindi Sabu Cyril 50,000/-
Citation: For creating authentic film settings of 1970s and recreating them in a dilapidated condition a generation later.
Best Costume Design Krishnakanter Will Bengali Ruma Sengupta 50,000/-
Citation: For creating realistic characters during that historic period when lavish costumes and colourful court life, were the order of the day.
Best Make-up Artist Paradesi Malayalam Pattanam Rasheed 50,000/-
Citation: For technical excellence of detailing through makeup the character of the protagonist.
Best Music Direction Ore Kadal Malayalam Ouseppachan 50,000/-
Citation: For achieving through music the poignancy of the turmoil of unconventional love.
Best Lyrics Taare Zameen Par Hindi Prasoon Joshi 50,000/-
Citation: For the soulful poetry that captures the trauma of a family beset with a rare problem of their little son who is happily saved by an understanding teacher.
Best Special Effects Sivaji Tamil M/s Indian Artists 50,000/-
Citation: For the pioneering effort of rendering tones and textures that assume realistic proportions. Turing dark skin tone to fair by painstaking computer graphic work is most convincingly done.
Best Choreography Jab We Met
("Yeh Ishq Haaye")
Hindi Saroj Khan 50,000/-
Citation: For the lively depiction of a colourful local hill song against a mountainous backdrop.
Special Jury Award Gandhi, My Father   Hindi
  English
  Anil Kapoor (Producer)
  Feroz Abbas Khan (Director)
62,500/- Each
Citation: For throwing light on a relatively unknown aspect of the Father of the Nation and his stormy relationship with his difficult rebellious son, in a rare and compelling manner.

Regional Awards

The award is given to best film in the regional languages in India.[1][8]

Name of Award Name of Film Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best Feature Film in Bengali Ballygunge Court Producer: Ganesh Kumar Bagaria
Director: Pinaki Chaudhuri
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For providing a powerful commentary on the travails of ageing in an urban milieu.
Best Feature Film in Hindi 1971 Producer: Sagar Films (Pvt. Ltd.)
Director: Amrit Sagar
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For a sensitive depiction of the ordeal of Indian prisoners of war trapped between extreme hostility and official apathy in an alien land and showing fortitude in a hopeless situation.
Best Feature Film in Kannada Gulabi Talkies Producer: Basant Kumar Patil
Director: Girish Kasaravalli
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For tracing the impact of new media on a fishing community of coastal Karnataka, against the backdrop of globalised business practices and growing communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims at the turn of the century.
Best Feature Film in Malayalam Ore Kadal Producer: Vindhyan N. B.
Director: Shyamaprasad
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For a well crafted movie on the emotional conflict of a middle class housewife irresistibly drawn to a radical intellectual.
Best Feature Film in Marathi Nirop Producer: Aparna Dharmadhikari
Director: Sachin Kundalkar
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For an original offbeat film that gives a fresh perspective of the internal landscapes of the human mind.
Best Feature Film in Tamil Periyar Producer: M/s Liberty Creations Ltd.
Director: Gnana Rajasekaran
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For a biographical feature which takes on issues like superstition, untouchability, widow remarriage etc by forcefully depicting the life of the great social reformer Shri E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker popularly known as Periyar.

Best Feature Film in Each of the Language Other Than Those Specified In the Schedule VIII of the Constitution

Name of Award Name of Film Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best Feature Film in English The Last Lear Producer: Arindam Chaudhuri
Director: Rituparno Ghosh
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For a brilliant and visually stunning work of cinema on the life of a reclusive Shakespearian actor, well past his prime. His whimsical and passionate persona makes him a memorable and loveable character.

Non-Feature Films

Films made in any Indian language shot on 16 mm, 35 mm or in a wider gauge or digital format and released on either film format or video/digital but certified by the Central Board of Film Certification as a documentary/newsreel/fiction are eligible for non-feature film section.

Juries

A committee headed by Ashoke Viswanathan was appointed to evaluate the non-feature films awards. Following were the jury members:[1][2]

  • Jury Members
    • Ashoke Viswanathan (Chairperson)  Prabhu Radhakrishnan  Rajendra Janglay  Jasmine K. Roy  Ashok Ogra  Ramesh Asher

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal[1][8]

All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.

Name of Award Name of Film Language Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best Non-Feature Film Hope Dies Last In War English and Hindi Producer: Supriyo Sen
Director: Supriyo Sen
1,00,000/- Each
Citation: For its sensitive albeit searching exploration of those in prisons in alien countries; a complex polyphony of variegated voices, the film is an endeavour to find hope in the midst of a struggle against despair.
Best Non-Feature Film Direction Vellapokathil Malayalam Jayaraj 50,000/- Each
Citation: For his minimalist portrayal of the traumatic tale of a faithful canine.

Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal[1][8]

All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)' and cash prize.

Name of Award Name of Film Language Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best First Non-Feature Film Lal Juto Bengali Producer: Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata
Director: Shweta Merchant
75,000/- Each
Citation: For its conventional handling of a renowned literary text. The element of surprise is presented in an effortless manner, spontaneous and full of miraculous madness.
Best Anthropological / Ethnographic Film Tai Phakey English Producer: Priyam Chaliha
Director: Mridul Gupta
50,000/- Each
Citation: For an honest portrayal of life and traditions of the minuscule Phakey community of the Northeast, which despite the influence of globalisation, continues to preserve its individual identity.
Best Biographical Film and Best Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film (Jointly given) Antardhwani Hindi Producer: Films Division
Director: Jabbar Patel
50,000/- Each
Citation: For creatively bringing out the life and times of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma in his journey to revive the lost music of the Santoor and place it on the world stage. The pace and rhythm of the film is in tune with the melodious music of the Santoor.
Best Film on Environment / Conservation / Preservation Bhanga Ghara Bengali Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Director: Nilanjan Datta
50,000/- Each
Citation: For championing the cause of environmental conservation. The film depicts the contrast between two regions of the Malda district as they come to terms with the inevitable flow of nature. While one faces the eroding onslaught of the river Ganga, the other renews itself to survive amidst the scarcity of water.
Best Film on Social Issues Bagher Bacha Bengali Producer: Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute
Director: Bishnu Dev Halder
12,500/- Each
Citation: For its spontaneous and multilayered depiction of the life of a child living in a railway station. He is shown on the borderline between a struggle for survival and a life of crime.
Shifting Prophecy English Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust
Director: Merajur Rahman Baruah
Citation: For handling the discrimination that Muslim women face in Tamil Nadu from some of the conservative clergy. The film successfully brings out the story of a woman activist who has galvanised the socially depressed women into fighting this gender discrimination.
Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film Prarambha Kannada Producer: Santosh Sivan
Director: Santosh Sivan
50,000/- Each
Citation: For sensitively portraying the struggle faced by an HIV infected boy who is dismissed from school. The film takes a playful standpoint to inspire and instill a positive attitude towards this issue.
Best Investigative Film The Journalist And A Jihadi English Producer: Ramesh Sharma
Director: Ramesh Sharma and Ahmad Jamal
50,000/- Each
Citation: For trying to uncover the sequence of events that led to the gruesome murder of the Wall-street journalist, Daniel Pearl. This film is very well researched and the investigation provides an insight into the working of a militant organisation.
Best Short Fiction Film Udedh Bun Hindi Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Director: Siddharth Sinha
50,000/- Each
Citation: For creatively portraying a young boy's dilemma as he comes face to face with the temptations of life. The film evocatively explores the erotic under‐currents in this coming of age tale.
Best Film on Family Welfare Making The Face English Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust
Director: Suvendu Chatterjee
50,000/- Each
Citation: For its multilayered exploration of the issue of alternative sexuality in a politically troubled state; celebrating this sexual orientation in a spontaneous manner, the film depicts it as a normal proclivity in a family setup. This, in no way, effects one's daily chores, particularly as the protagonist is a make-up artist of great acceptance.
Best Cinematography Kramasha Hindi Cameraman: Savita Singh 50,000/-
Citation: For her arresting use of lenses and lighting in the creation of a strange and magical world, full of a certain atmospheric dampness and mistiness, further enhanced by a consistent exhibition of striking cinematic compositions.
Best Audiography Kramasha Hindi Ajit Singh Rathore 50,000/-
Citation: For the innovative sound design enhances the mood of the film and draws one into the magical ambience replete with fairy tales.
Best Editing Hope Dies Last In War English and Hindi Saikat Ray 50,000/-
Citation: For its creative blending of various elements of the past and present, as also for its seamless flow of images that evoke genuine emotions.
Best Music Direction Echoes Of Silence English and Khasi Zubeen Garg 50,000/-
Citation: For the emptiness of Pori’s world is enhanced through the effective use of music, which is understated yet powerful, thus blending seamlessly into the narrative.
Best Narration / Voice Over Ayodhya Gatha English and Hindi Vani Subramanian 50,000/-
Citation: For the powerful and humane narration of Ayodhya Gatha weaves together the story of Ayodhya - its past, present and uncertain future - in a manner that touches you without overpowering you.
Special Jury Award Bhultir Khero Bengali   Amalan Datta (Producer)
  Anirban Datta (Director)
12,500/- Each
Citation: For its brilliant evocation of Kolkata. The film brings out sights and sounds, smells and stories, myths and memories in a manner that is realistic and yet magical.
Poomaram Malayalam   Public Service Broadcasting Trust (Producer)
  Vipin Vijay (Director)
Citation: For its creative use of visual craft to reflect on the relationship between menstrual rituals, the colour red and nature of human existence. The film engages the audience very deeply in its experimental exploration of the inner life of young women protagonists and their unique relationship with blood.

Best Writing on Cinema

The awards aim at encouraging study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of this art-form through publication of books, articles, reviews etc.

Juries

A committee headed by Namita Gokhale was appointed to evaluate the writing on Indian cinema. Following were the jury members:[1][2]

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal[1][8]

All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)' and cash prize.

Name of Award Name of Book Language Awardee(s) Cash Prize
Best Book on Cinema From Raj to Swaraj: The Non-fiction Film In India English Author: B. D. Garga
Publisher: Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd.
75,000/- Each
Citation: For its engaged and illuminating study of non-feature cinema in its social, political and cultural context.
Best Film Critic Malayalam V. K. Joseph 75,000/-
Citation: For his intellectual and aesthetic integrity in writing about regional, national and world cinema.

Awards not given

Following were the awards not given as no film was found to be suitable for the award:[1][8]

References

  1. "55th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. "55th National Film Awards (PIB)" (PDF). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  3. "55th National Film Awards for 2007 announced". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Archived from the original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  4. "President to give away 55th national film awards". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  5. "President confers 55th National Film Awards". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  6. "Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Manna Dey". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  7. "Dadasaheb Phalke Award Past Recipients". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  8. "55th national film awards for the year 2007" (PDF). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  9. Percepts Kanchivaram bags highest honour at the 55th National Awards. New Delhi.
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