Big B, Sarika bag national film awards

NEW DELHI: More than a year after the 53rd National Film Awards were decided, the Centre has declared the winners.

The Centre’s announcement on Tuesday follows the Delhi High Court order of July 31, allowing the government to declare the results of the 2005 winners.

While Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black has been chosen as the best feature film in Hindi, Amitabh Bachchan bagged the best actor award for the same film. Bachchan told DNA that he considered Black a milestone in his career.

“I don’t really work for awards. For me, audience appreciation is award enough. But I am truly honoured,” he said.

Sarika has been adjudged the best actress for Parzania. The best popular film award went to Rakyesh Mehra’s Rang De Basanti.

Pradeep Sarkar’s Parineeta won the best first film by a director award. The best feature film award went to Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Bengali film Kaalpurush.

Jury member Shyamli Banerjee Deb, a member of the jury for the awards, had challenged the process adopted by the board for selecting films and sought a direction to make the procedures transparent. The HC had stayed the awards on Deb’s petition on May 9. The stay was vacated on July 31.

The Nargis Dutt award for best film on national integration has been given to Malayalam film, Daivanamathil. And Nagesh Kukunoor’s Iqbal has been adjudged the best film in the social issues category.

Director of English film Parzania, Rahul Dholakia has got the best director award. Naseeruddin Shah has been given the best supporting actor award for Iqbal. In the best playback singer category, Naresh Iyer won for Rang De… and Shreya Ghoshal for Paheli.