Tamil drama film Soorarai Pottru won big at the 68th edition of the National Film Awards for the year 2020.
The Suriya-starrer, directed by Sudha Kongara, bagged the coveted Best Feature Film, Best Actor and Best Actress awards.
Actor Suriya shared the Best Actor award with Ajay Devgn. Soorarai Pottru’s leading lady Aparna Balamurali walked away with the Best Actress Award. The movie — loosely based on the life of Air Deccan founder Capt Gopinath — also bagged Best Music Direction (Background Score) and Best Screenplay (Original) awards.
The Tamil drama film had a direct digital release on Amazon Prime Video after operations of cinemas in the country were disrupted due to the first pandemic wave.
Recognition for Tanhaji
Devgn bagged the Best Actor award for his film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, the highest Bollywood grosser of 2020. The film also bagged the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment as well as the Best Costume Designer award.
Malayalam film maker Sachidanandan KR was posthumously named Best Director for AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum. The movie also won the Best Supporting Actor award for Biju Menon, Best Action Direction (Stunt Choreography) as well as the Best Female Playback Singer award for feisty tribal folk singer Nanchamma.
The Best Male Playback Singer award went to Rahul Deshpande for Mi Vasantrao (Marathi). Testimony of Ana (Dangi), produced and directed by Sachin Dheeraj Mundigonda, was adjudged the Best Non-Feature Film. Madhya Pradesh won the Most Film Friendly State Award, while Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh got Special Mention.
A difficult year
Congratulating the winners, Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said that 2020 was a particularly difficult year for the movie industry due to the Covid pandemic, yet the nominations consisted of great works.
The jury comprised eminent film makers and personalities from across the Indian cine-world, the statement added. While Vipul Shah was Chairperson of the Feature Film Jury, Chitrartha Singh was Chairperson of the Non-Feature Jury .