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38th National Film Awards

1991 Indian film award


1991 Indian film award

FieldValue
number38
awardNational Film Awards
caption38th National Film Awards
awarded_forBest of Indian cinema in 1990
award_orgDirectorate of Film Festivals
presenting_orgR. Venkataraman
(President of India)
announced_date
siteSiri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi
websitedff.nic.in
lifetime_achievementAkkineni Nageswara Rao
best_featureMarupakkam
best_non_featureGraven Image
best_bookHindi Cinema Ka Itihaas
best_criticShoma A. Chatterjee
most_winsLekin... (5)
last37th
next39th

(President of India)

The 38th 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 1990. Ceremony took place in 1991.

With 38th National Film Awards, couple of new awards were instituted for Non-Feature films section. These awards includes Best Investigative Film, Best Audiography, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.

Awards

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

Lifetime Achievement Award

Name of AwardImageAwardee(s)Awarded AsAwards
Dadasaheb Phalke Award[[File:A.Nageswara Rao.jpg75px]]Akkineni Nageswara RaoActorSwarna Kamal, and a Shawl

Feature films

Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 38th National Film Awards, a Tamil film, Marupakkam won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, whereas a Hindi film, Lekin... won the maximum number of awards (5). Following were the awards given in each category:

Juries

A committee headed by veteran actor Ashok Kumar was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members:

  • Jury Members
    • Ashok Kumar (chairperson)Usha KhannaP. V. GangadharanHoney IraniJanardhan RoyRaj BisariaT. Subbarami ReddySripriyaKomal SwaminathanJ. P. DasRekha SahayG. V. IyerT. S. NarasimhanBhupen HazarikaKalpana LajmiPremlata BajpaiShaji N. Karun

All India Award

Following were the awards given:

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal

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

Name of AwardName of FilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Feature FilmMarupakkamTamilProducer: NFDC and Doordarshan50,000/-
director: K. S. Sethumadhavan25,000/-
Citation: For striking a balance between the existing traditional values and the modern values that are infused subsequently, and for treating the subject with the highest standards or aesthetic excellence.
Best Debut Film of a DirectorPerumthachanMalayalamProducer: G. Jayakumar
Director: Ajayan25,000/- Each
Citation: For depicting a historical backdrop with authenticity, shattering all traditional beliefs with superlative artistic texture.
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome EntertainmentGhayalHindiProducer: Dharmendra40,000/-
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi20,000/-
Citation: For being thematically highly credible, emotionally very well-woven, logically executed, and technically superb film.
Best DirectionEk Doctor Ki MautHindiTapan Sinha50,000/-
Citation: For having presented a contemporary problem with courage, subtlety and finesse.
Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal

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

Name of AwardName of FilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prize
Second Best Feature FilmEk Doctor Ki MautHindiProducer: NFDC30,000/-
Director: Tapan Sinha15,000/-
Citation: For making a relevant social comment, presented in a tremendously communicative yet emotional manner.
Best Film on Other Social IssuesOru Veedu Iru VasalTamilProducer: Kavithalayaa Productions30,000/-
Director: K. Balachander15,000/-
Citation: For focussing on women's problem and very sensitively showing the path by which women can be emancipated.
Best ActorAgneepathHindiAmitabh Bachchan10,000/-
Citation: For a towering performance, rising above the script with variation and nuances at all levels.
Best ActressKarthavyamTeluguVijayashanti10,000/-
Citation: For depicting both aggression and femininity with balance and restraint.
Best Supporting ActorHis Highness AbdullahMalayalamNedumudi Venu10,000/-
Citation: For maintaining the character with consistency and sensitivity.
Best Supporting ActressAmaramMalayalamK. P. A. C. Lalitha10,000/-
Citation: For portraying an ethnic character with authenticity.
Best Child ArtistAnjaliTamilBaby Shruti
Master Tarun
Baby Shamili5,000/-
Citation: For giving excellent performances in which the children come across in all naturalness and yet give a glimpse of the adult within.
Best Male Playback SingerHis Highness Abdullah ("Naadaroopini Sankari Pahimam")MalayalamM. G. Sreekumar10,000/-
Citation: For an excellent rendering of a classical-based tune encompassing all ranges accurately.
Best Female Playback SingerLekin...HindiLata Mangeshkar10,000/-
Citation: For singing with outstanding expressions with the rarest and purest of styles.
Best CinematographyPerumthachanMalayalamCameraman: Santosh Sivan
Laboratory Processing: M/s Vijay Colour Laboratories10,000/- Each
Citation: For heightening the mood of the film with the highest visual standards.
Best ScreenplayMarupakkamTamilK. S. Sethumadhavan10,000/-
Citation: For depicting a simplistic story, capturing the various levels of philosophy, psychology, tradition and relationships perfectly.
Best AudiographyAnjaliTamilN. Pandurangan10,000/-
Citation: For aesthetically weaving the soundtrack in the most creative manner to enhance the visuals of the film.
Best EditingIyer the GreatMalayalamM. S. Mani10,000/-
Citation: For slick well-placed editing which elevates the craft of the film.
Best Art DirectionLekin...HindiNitish Roy10,000/-
Citation: For maintaining the era, etching the characters against the canvas, with perfect colour, design and execution.
Best Costume DesignLekin...HindiBhanu Athaiya10,000/-
Citation: For the texture and tone of the costumes, which heighten the visual quality of the film, breaking away from the traditional image of bright Rajasthani colours by using subdued pastel shades.
Best Music DirectionLekin...HindiHridaynath Mangeshkar10,000/-
Citation: For using traditional tunes and instruments creatively, with litting melody and haunting perfection.
Best LyricsLekin...HindiGulzar10,000/-
Citation: For evoking beautiful imagery, created through lyrical poetry.
Special Jury AwardEk Doctor Ki MautHindiPankaj Kapoor (Actor)10,000/- Each
Citation: For having effectively projected the in-built trauma of an aspiring, thinking, creative mind, in the context of a demoralising, fossilised system of establishment that does not provide scope for fruitation of a path-finding spirit.
GhayalHindiSunny Deol (Actor)
Citation: For an effective portrayal of a youth, victimised by the inherent evil in aspects of the present police system.
MarupakkamTamilJayabharathi (Actor)
Citation: For a touching portrayal of the agony of a woman who has been emotionally neglected, unwittingly.
Special MentionIshanouMeiteiAnoubam Kiranmala (Actor)Certificate Only
Citation: For a debut performance depicting various levels of conflict effectively.

Regional Awards

The award is given to best film in the regional languages in India.

Name of AwardName of FilmAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Feature Film in AssameseJoojProducer: Bipul Baruah20,000/-
Director: Hemen Das10,000/-
Citation: For attempting to portray, with conviction, the earthy realism in the field of social differences.
Best Feature Film in BengaliAtmajaProducer: Raj Kumar Jain20,000/-
Director: Nabyendu Chatterjee10,000/-
Citation: For its masterly depiction of a mother's quest, torn between the hollowness of wealth and the transcendence of human values.
Best Feature Film in HindiDrishtiProducer: Govind Nihalani20,000/-
Director: Govind Nihalani10,000/-
Citation: For depicting marital pain very effectively.
Best Feature Film in KannadaMuthina HaaraProducer: Rajendra Singh Babu20,000/-
Director: Rajendra Singh Babu10,000/-
Citation: For effectively portraying patriotism.
Best Feature Film in MalayalamVasthuharaProducer: T. Ravindranath20,000/-
Director: G. Aravindan10,000/-
Citation: For being a human document, depicting the cruelties meted out by society to the dispossessed.
Best Feature Film in TamilAnjaliProducer: Sujatha Productions Pvt. Ltd20,000/-
Director: Mani Ratnam10,000/-
Citation: For the unusual usage of film form, utilising music, choreography and sound with depth, achieving the highest aesthetic excellence to narrate the emotional nearness of the mentally retarted.
Best Feature Film in TeluguMatti ManushuluProducer: K. Mukherjee and Veda Kumar20,000/-
Director: B. Narsing Rao10,000/-
Citation: For portraying the stark reality of pain which has been underlined with the warm hues of life.

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

Name of AwardName of FilmAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Feature Film in ManipuriIshanouProducer: Aribam Syam Sharma20,000/-
Director: Aribam Syam Sharma10,000/-
Citation: For effectively portraying the tragedy behind the institution of Maibi which unfortunately shatters a family.

Non-Feature Films

Short Films made in any Indian language and 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 S. Krishnaswamy was appointed to evaluate the non-feature films awards. Following were the jury members:

  • Jury Members
    • S. Krishnaswamy (chairperson)Madan BawariaPramod MathurVijaya NirmalaSwapan Ghose

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal

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

Name of AwardName of FilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Non-Feature FilmGraven ImageEnglishProducer: Sumitendra Nath Tagore and Shyamasree Tagore
Director: Abhijit Chattopadhyay15,000/- Each
Citation: For combining the intimate portrayal of a sculptor in terms of biographical detail, bringing in the nuances of his art, summing up to an excellent portrait of a person, an artist, a period, and achieing this with high cinematic values.

Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal

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

Name of AwardName of FilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Anthropological / Ethnographic FilmLolaabEnglishProducer: Hillman Film Pvt. Ltd
Director: Mohi-Ud-Din Mirza10,000/- Each
Citation: For dedication and conviction with which life in a remote area of the land has been portrayed, with intimacy, sympathy, authenticity and without being condescending, and for the apparent hard work that has gone into the production.
Best Biographical FilmBabaEnglishProducer: Mediart Film Pvt. Ltd
Director: Rajiv Mehrotra10,000/- Each
Citation: For the relaxed and sensitive portrayal of an extraordinary man of our times, bubbling with humanity, portraying the social causes for which Baba Amte has dedicated life, with a sense of deep involvement, never descending to eulogising.
Best Arts / Cultural FilmFigures of ThoughtEnglishProducer: Arun Khopkar
Director: Arun Khopkar10,000/- Each
Citation: For exceptionally beautiful portrayal of the work of three painters, with verve, and unpretentious, but excellent visuals.
Vaastu MarabuEnglishProducer: Min Bimbangal
Director: Bala Kailasam10,000/- Each
Citation: For portraying the philosophy of traditional "Shilpi", transcending the physical form of the sculpture, exploring the collective unconscious of Indian sculptors.
Best Scientific Film (including Environment and Ecology)Biotechnology: Some PossibilitiesEnglishProducer: Gul Bahar Singh for Films Division
Director: Nishith Banerjee10,000/- Each
Citation: For trading through new horizons of the futuristic, yet scientifically realisable possibilities at the threshold of a new era, with technical finesse.
Best Agricultural FilmGolden EarthEnglishProducer: BAIF Development Research Foundation
Director: Vishram Revankar10,000/- Each
Citation: For effective communication of the techniques of soil and water conservation, in a simple manner, without being simplistic with the medium.
Best Environment / Conservation / Preservation FilmPratikriyaDesiyaProducer: Rahat Yusufi
Director: Rahat Yusufi10,000/- Each
Citation: For dealing with the problem of the environment at the grassroots level, combining the talent to handle ordinary people and get excellent performances out of them, with a clarity of message and commitment to the cause.
Best Film on Social IssuesSafe Drinking Water for AllEnglishProducer: R. Krishna Mohan for Films Division
Director: Mahesh P. Sinha10,000/- Each
Citation: For effectively portraying the fundamental problem of drinking water and the steps being taken to solve the problem, without descending to propaganda.
Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional FilmDucks Out of WaterEnglishProducer: D. Gautaman
Director: Raj Gopal Rao10,000/- Each
Citation: For beautiful imagery, elevating a routine theme to levels of aesthetic excellence.
Natun AshaAssameseProducer: Beauty Sabhapandit
Director: Arup Borthakur10,000/- Each
Citation: For being an instructional film in which form and content compete for excellence.
Best Exploration / Adventure Film (including Sports)Indigenous Games of ManipurEnglishProducer: Aribam Syam Sharma
Director: Aribam Syam Sharma10,000/- Each
Citation: For sharing the primordial joys of spontaneous sports, tracing some historic links between the traditional sports of Manipur and the world at large.
Best Investigative Film*Una Mitran Di Yaad Pyaari
(In Memory of Friends)*English, Hindi and PunjabiProducer: Anand Patwardhan
Director: Anand Patwardhan10,000/- Each
Citation: For the ardent pursuit of truth in an explosive contemporary atmosphere, with objectivity, courage and lucidity.
Best Short Fiction FilmAamukhHindiProducer: Film and Television Institute of India
Director: Rajkumar10,000/- Each
Citation: For being a forceful statement of the personal rights of a woman through the emotional impact of one incident in which she rises against a social taboo.
Best CinematographyMohiniyattamEnglishCameraman: Santosh Sivan
Laboratory Processing: Prasad Film Laboratories10,000/- Each
Citation: For evocative, lyrical beauty with which the camera has painted the dancer and her milieu.
Where No Journeys EndEnglishCameraman: Victor Banerjee
Laboratory Processing: Chitranjali Laboratories10,000/- Each
Citation: For the dramatic manner in which the Indian landscape unfolds, seducing the viewer with timeless beauty of India.
Best AudiographyMohorBengaliSujit Sarkar10,000/- Each
Citation: For preserving the aura of Gurudev's presence by transporting the audience through the years in the flowering of Rabindra Sangeet, embellishing the performance of the great singer Kanika Bandopadhyay.
Best EditingMohiniyattamEnglishRajasekharan10,000/- Each
Citation: For making use of the full potential of the dimensions of space and time with creative excellence.
Special Jury AwardUstad Amjad Ali KhanHindiGulzar (director)10,000/-
Citation: For bringing out the essence of a man and his music, emphassising the qualities of an artiste being distinct, but not distant from the people, as part of an unbroken tradition.
Special MentionTechnique of Seed Production in Wheat and PaddyEnglishRaj Gopal Rao (Director)Certificate Only
Citation: For effective dissemination of agricultural information.
Cactus and RosesEnglishSiddharth Kak (Director)
Citation: For his sophesticated presentation of a pioneering industrial establishment.
Aadhi Haqueeqat Aadha FasanaHindiDilip Ghose (Director)
Citation: For deglamourising the world of cinema in the minds of innocent toddler talent.
SambandhHindiNaresh Saxena (Director)
Citation: For the excellent nucleus of an idea, building an emotional bridge between a family and a tree.

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 Amita Malik was appointed to evaluate the writing on Indian cinema. Following were the jury members:

  • Jury Members
    • Amita Malik (chairperson)Vinod BhardwajPunathil Kunjabdulla

Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal

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

Name of AwardName of BookLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Book on CinemaHindi Cinema Ka ItihaasHindiAuthor: Manmohan Chadhha
Publisher: Sachin Prakashan10,000/- Each
Citation: For placing the development of Hindi Cinema in the context of the totality of Indian Cinema and World Cinema, while giving due importance to research.

Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal

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

Name of AwardLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prize
Best Film CriticBengaliShoma A. Chatterjee5,000/-
Citation: For managing admirably to get away from routine and the beaten track. She has covered an astonishing range of subjects in the articles submitted. Whether it is an interview, a critique or analysis of an unusual subject, she has combined depth with elegance.

Awards not given

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

  • Best Children's Film
  • Best Feature Film on National Integration
  • Best Film on Family Welfare
  • Best Film on Environment Conservation / Preservation
  • Best Feature Film in English
  • Best Feature Film in Marathi
  • Best Feature Film in Oriya
  • Best Feature Film in Punjabi
  • Best Promotional Film
  • Best Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film
  • Best Non-Feature Film on Family Welfare
  • Best Animation Film
  • Best First Non-Feature Film
  • Best Non-Feature Film Direction

References

References

  1. "38th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals.
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