National Film Award for Best Actor

National Film Award for Best Actor
Awarded for	Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Presented by	President of India
Location	Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi
Country	India
Reward	Rajat Kamal (silver lotus) and 50,000
First awarded	1968
Last awarded	2012
Currently held by	Girish Kulkarni
Official website	dff.nic.in

The National Film Award for Best Actor (officially known as Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor) is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.^[1]

Background

The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories. The organisation was established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (Government of India) in 1973 to arrange and manage national and international film festivals in India. The President of India presents the awards "to encourage the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form and thereby also promoting integration and unity of the nation."^[1][2]

Called the State Awards for Films when established in 1954, the awards ceremony is older than the Directorate of Film Festivals. The State Awards instituted the individual award in 1968 as the Bharat Award for the Best Actor; in 1975 it was renamed as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor.^[1][3][4] Throughout the past 44 years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of India has presented a total of 45 Best Actor awards to 36 different actors.

Until 1974, winners of this National Film Award of Merit received a figurine and certificate, but since 1975, they have been awarded with a Rajat kamal (silver lotus), certificate and a cash prize (50,000 in 2012).^[3] Although the Indian film industry produces films in around 20 languages and dialects,^[1] the actors whose performances have won awards have worked in seven major languages: Bengali, English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Tamil.

Notable recipients

The first recipient was Uttam Kumar from Bengali cinema, who was honoured at the 15th National Film Award (1968) for his performances in Antony Firingee (as an Anglo-Indian) and Chiriyakhana (a Chinese).^[5] Three actors—Kamal Haasan, Mammootty and Amitabh Bachchan—have been honoured thrice and six—Sanjeev Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Mohanlal and Ajay Devgn—have been awarded twice.

Mithun Chakraborty and Mammootty are the only two actors who have achieved the honour for performances in films in two different languages. Mithun was awarded in 1977 for his performance in the Hindi film Mrigayaa, and in 1993 for the Bengali film Tahader Katha. Mammootty was honoured for his performances in four Malayalam films: in 1990 for Mathilukal and Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, and in 1994 for Ponthan Mada and Vidheyan; and in 1999 for his role as B. R. Ambedkar in the English film Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (jointly shared with Ajay Devgn).^[6]

Since 2000, Amitabh Bachchan is the most successful actor, having won two awards: for his performances in Black (2006)^[7] and Paa (2010).^[8] The most recent recipient is Girish Kulkarni (Marathi) and was honoured at the 59th National Film Awards ceremony for his performance in Deool.^[9][10]

List of recipients

List of award recipients, showing the year, films(s), language

Year (Award Ceremony)	Image	Recipient(s)	Film(s)	Language	Citation
1967 (15th)	–	Uttam Kumar[11]	• Antony Firingee  • Chiriyakhana	Bengali
1968 (16th)	–	Ashok Kumar[12]	Aashirwad	Hindi
1969 (17th)	–	Utpal Dutt[13]	Bhuvan Shome	Hindi
1970 (18th)	–	Sanjeev Kumar[14]	Dastak	Hindi
1971 (19th)		M. G. Ramachandran[15]	Rickshawkaran	Tamil
1972 (20th)	–	Sanjeev Kumar[14]	Koshish	Hindi
1973 (21st)	–	P. J. Antony[3]	Nirmalyam	Malayalam
1974 (22nd)	–	Sadhu Meher[4]	Ankur	Hindi
1975 (23rd)	–	M. V. Vasudeva Rao[16]	Chomana Dudi	Kannada
1976 (24th)		Mithun Chakraborty[17]	Mrigayaa	Hindi
1977 (25th)	–	Gopi[18]	Kodiyettam	Malayalam	For an uncanny, truthful and subtle portrayal of a nondescript village character, carrying almost imperceptibly his slow inner transformation through normal tribulations of life into new awakening of consciousness, of feeling and of responsibility, for the artless unfolding of character which is evidence of acting ability of high aesthetic order.
1978 (26th)	–	Arun Mukherjee[19]	Parashuram	Bengali	For using mime, body language, laughter and silence to depict the central character in complete harmony with the overall style of the film.
1979 (27th)		Naseeruddin Shah[20]	Sparsh	Hindi
1980 (28th)	–	Balan K. Nair[21]	Oppol	Malayalam	For extremely virile and sensitive portrayal of a man who is constantly puzzled by the behavior of his wife, for conveying the flashes of anger and frustration he suffers and depicting ultimate acceptance of his wife's past with mellowed tenderness which reveals the virtuosity of a great artist.
1981 (29th)		Om Puri[22]	Arohan	Hindi	For a very convincing portrayal of a harassed farmer courageously fighting vested interests who seek to block the implementation of land reforms.
1982 (30th)		Kamal Haasan[23]	Moondram Pirai	Tamil	For the versatility and naturalness with which he portrays the character of Seenu.
1983 (31st)		Om Puri[24]	Ardh Satya	Hindi	For his authentic portrayal of the inner conflicts of a conscientious police officer.
1984 (32nd)		Naseeruddin Shah[20]	Paar	Hindi
1985 (33rd)		Shashi Kapoor[25]	New Delhi Times	Hindi	For a convincing and credible portrayal of a dedicated journalist caught in the cross-currents of political manoevring.
1986 (34th)	–	Charuhasan	Tabarana Kathe	Kannada	For an immensely moving and controlled portrayal of an individual's anguish, as he waits endlessly for justice.
1987 (35th)		Kamal Haasan[26]	Nayagan	Tamil	For his outstanding and moving portrayal of a multi-faceted character with subtle moral nuances played with total control and extraordinary histrionic skill.
1988 (36th)	–	Premji[27]	Piravi	Malayalam	For excellence in restrained performance.
1989 (37th)		Mammootty[28]	• Mathilukal  • Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha	Malayalam	For successfully portraying the multifaceted roles.
1990 (38th)		Amitabh Bachchan[29]	Agneepath	Hindi	For a towering performance, rising above the script with variation and nuances at all levels.
1991 (39th)		Mohanlal[30]	Bharatham	Malayalam	For his range as an actor as well as the restraint he applied in the portrayal of the much misunderstood musician.
1992 (40th)		Mithun Chakraborty[17]	Tahader Katha	Bengali	For his innovative performance which effectively captures the agony of a freedom fighter immediately after Independence.
1993 (41st)		Mammootty[28]	• Ponthan Mada  • Vidheyan	Malayalam	For his sensitive portrayal in the film Ponthan Mada of the role of an outsider and in Vidheyan for the depiction of the relationship of power and terror at an existential level.
1994 (42nd)		Nana Patekar[31]	Krantiveer	Hindi	For his impressive portrayal of a man who lives on his own terms. He is able to rekindle in the common man the deep, hidden resource of strength that lies dormant in each one of us.
1995 (43rd)		Rajit Kapur[32]	The Making of the Mahatma	English	For his extremely sensitive portrayal of Gandhi during his early years in south Africa with great restraint and control. The step by step transformation of a normal man to that of Mahatma is convincingly depicted.
1996 (44th)		Kamal Haasan[33]	Indian	Tamil	For his double role in the film. His remarkable range in the entire diverse roles shows his excellent caliber as an actor.
1997 (45th)*	–	Balachandra Menon[34]	Samaantharangal	Malayalam	For his realistic and sensitive portrayal of a middle-class man who stands up for this high principles.
		Suresh Gopi[34]	Kaliyattam	Malayalam	For his control and presence in a role that demands a wide range of emotions.
1998 (46th)*		Ajay Devgn[6]	Zakhm	Hindi	For his restrained and moving performance of an angry man exasperated with the failing system.
		Mammootty[6]	Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar	English	For bringing to life a great national figure in a strong and memorable performance spanning several decades across three continents.
1999 (47th)		Mohanlal[35]	Vanaprastham	Malayalam	For his nuanced portrayal of the identity crisis experienced by a performing artiste who, in his personal life too, is torn between the denial of both, paternal identity and his own paternity rights.
2000 (48th)		Anil Kapoor[36]	Pukar	Hindi	For his role in the film. A veteran actor of great versatility, meets the varied demands of this role with credibility and assured technical skill.
2001 (49th)	–	Murali[37]	Neythukaran	Malayalam	For his brilliant portrayal of a character called Mestry, a committed political worker, caught in a web of shifting values-political and social.
2002 (50th)		Ajay Devgn[38]	The Legend of Bhagat Singh	Hindi	For entering into the spirit of the legendary character and for living up to the challenge of history.
2003 (51st)		Vikram[39]	Pithamagan	Tamil	For his powerful performance in a difficult and demanding role.
2004 (52nd)		Saif Ali Khan[40]	Hum Tum	Hindi	For his sheer ease, subtlety and spontaneity in portraying a complex and demanding role.
2005 (53rd)		Amitabh Bachchan[41]	Black	Hindi	For his dramatic rendition of reformed alcoholic who struggles to give a physically handicapped child a new life.
2006 (54th)		Soumitra Chatterjee[42]	Podokkhep	Bengali	For etching the agonies and elations of an elderly person trying to keep peace with changing times.
2007 (55th)		Prakash Raj[43]	Kanchivaram	Tamil	For his sensible multilayered portrayal of a weaver caught in a web of silken threads, woven by destiny.
2008 (56th)		Upendra Limaye[44]	Jogwa	Marathi	For his restrained yet powerful depiction of a complex character.
2009 (57th)		Amitabh Bachchan[45]	Paa	Hindi	For a rare performance that fuses the art and craft of an actor to create a character that lives with you long after the film is over.
2010 (58th)*		Dhanush[46]	Aadukalam	Tamil	For the raw, nuanced portrayal of a cocky young man who learns lessons about life the hard way.
		Salim Kumar[46]	Adaminte Makan Abu	Malayalam	For a deep, restrained performance of a simple man with an unshakeable belief in his quest for salvation.
2011 (59th)		Girish Kulkarni[47]	Deool	Marathi	For his role as Kesha, the good hearted village simpleton, who inadvertently sets tumultuous events in motion, is circumspect and tenderhearted. Shorn of histrionics, his performance depends largely on his face and eyes to convey the multitudinous emotions in his mind which he cannot utter. He is controlled yet ingenuous, moving towards the beginnings of an understanding of the world around him, a move that transforms itself unselfconsciously into a spiritual quest.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: National Film Award for Best Actor winners

• Official website of the Directorate of Film Festivals