The ceremony for the 68th National Film Awards took place at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, streaming on PIB's (Press Information Bureau) Facebook page as well as the official YouTube channel.
The Hindi film industry's big winner was Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Director Om Raut's chronicle of the Maratha warrior's battle to reclaim Kondhana Fort from the Mughals won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Costume Design, while star Ajay Devgn shared Best Actor with Suriya from Soorarai Pottru. The Tamil film, based on the life of Simplifly Deccan founder G Gopinath, won Best Feature Film and with Best Screenplay, while Aparna Balamurali won Best Actress.
K R Sachidanandan, also known as Sachy, won the Best Director Award posthumously for Malayalam thriller Ayyappanum Koshiyum. The film picked up a second win the form of Biju Menon's Best Supporting Actor award.
Here is the list of all the winners:
Most film-friendly state: Madhya Pradesh
Best Book on Cinema: The Longest Kissby Kishwar Desai
(Special mentions – MT Anunahvangalude Pusthakam by Anoop Ramakrishnan and Kali Paine Kalira Cinema written by Surya Deo)
Best Narration: Rhapsody of Rains – Monsoons of Kerala, Shobha Tharoor Sreenivasan
Best Music Direction: 1232 Kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar, Vishal Bhardwaj
Best Editing: Borderlands, Anadi Athaley
Best Audiography: Pearl of the Desert, Ajit Singh Rathore
Best On-Location Sound Recordist: Jadui Jangal (Hindi), Sandip Bhati, Pradeep Lekhwar
Best Cinematography: Shabdikkunna Kalappa, Nikhil S Praveen
Best Direction: Oh That's Bhanu (English, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi), RV Ramani
Best Film on Family Values: Kumkumarchan (Marathi)
Best Short Fiction Film: Kachichinithu (Karbi)
Special Jury Award: Admitted (Hindi and English)
Best Investigative Film: The Saviour: Brig Pritam Singh (Punjabi)
Best Exploration Film: Wheeling the Ball (English and Hindi)
Best Education Film: Dreaming of Words (Malayalam)
Best Film on Social Issues: Justice Delayed but Delivered (Hindi) and Three Sisters (Bengali)
Best Environment Film: Manah Aru Manuh (Asssamese)
Best Promotional Film: Surmounting Challenges (English)
Best Science and Technology Film: On The Brink Season 2 – Bats (English)
Best Art and Culture Film: Naadada Navaneeta Dr PT Venkateshkumar (Kannada)
Best Biographical Film: Pabung Syam (Manipuri)
Best Ethnographic Film: Mandal Ke Bol (Hindi)
Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director: Pariah (Marathi and Hindi)
Best Non-Feature Film: Testimony of Ana (Dangi)
Special Mentions: Semkhor (Dimasa), Vaanku (Malayalam), Avwanchhit (Marathi), Godakaath (Marathi), Toolsidas Junior (Hindi)
Best Haryanvi Film: Dada Lakhmi
Best Dimasa Film: Semkhor
Best Tulu Film: Jeetige
Best Telugu Film: Colour Photo
Best Tamil Film: Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum
Best Malayalam Film: Thinkalazcha Nishchayam
Best Marathi Film: Goshta Eka Paithanichi
Best Kannada Film: Dollu
Best Hindi Film: Toolsidas Junior
Best Bengali Film: Avijatrik
Best Assamese Film: Bridge
Best Stunt: AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam)
Best Choreography: Natyam (Telugu)
Best Lyrics: Saina (Hindi)
Best Music Direction (Songs): Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (Telugu)
Best Make-Up Artist: Natyam (Telugu)
Best Costume Designer: Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (Hindi)
Best Production Design: Kappela (Malayalam)
Best Editing: Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum (Tamil)
Best Audiography (Location Sound Recordist): Dollu (Kannada)
Best Audiography (Sound Designer): Mi Vasantrao
Best Audiography (Re-recordist of the Final Mixed Track): Malik (Malayalam)
Original Screenplay: Soorarai Pottru (Tamil)
Best Dialogue Writer: Mandela (Tamil)
Best Cinematography: Avijatrik (Bengali)
Best Female Playback Singer: Nanchamma for Ayyappanum Koshiyam
Best Male Playback Singer: Rahul Deshpande for Mi Vasantrao and Anish Mangesh Gosavi for Taktak
Best Child Artist: Tak-Tak (Marathi), Sumi (Marathi)
Best Supporting Actress: Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli, Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum (Tamil)
Best Supporting Actor: Biju Menon, AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam)
Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali, Soorarai Pottru (Tamil)
Best Actor: Suriya, Soorarai Pottru (Tamil) and Ajay Devgn, Tanhaji The Unsung Warrior (Hindi)
Best Direction: Sachidanandan KR, AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum (Malayalam)
Best Children's Film: Sumi (Marathi)
Best Film on Environment Conservation: Taledanda (Kannada)
Best Film On Social Issues: Funeral (Marathi)
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior
Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of Director: Mandela (Tamil)
Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru (Tamil)