DIRECTORATE OF FILM FESTIVALS

(Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)

Government of India

56th NATIONAL FILM AWARDS FOR 2008

FEATURE FILMS

S. Name of Award Name of Film Awardee Medal Citation

No. & Cash Prize
1 BEST FEATURE FILM Antaheen Producer:   Swarna Kamal For lyrical blend of technical
Screenplay Films  devices in the right proportion
(Bengali) Pvt. Ltd.  Rs to depict shifting human
2,50,000/- relationships in an urban
Director :   scenario.
Aniruddha Roy 
Chowdhury 
2 INDIRA GANDHI A Wednesday Producer:  Swarna Kamal For slick and searing exposure
AWARD FOR BEST UTV Motion  of the tension below the normal
FIRST FILM OF A (Hindi) Pictures  Rs rhythm of life and the angst of
DIRECTOR 1,25,000/- the common man in Mumbai.
Director :  
Neeraj Pandey 
3 BEST POPULAR FILM Oye Lucky ! Producer:   Swarna Kamal For its intelligent treatment of
PROVIDING Lucky Oye UTV Motion  an off-beat subject that makes it
WHOLESOME Pictures  Rs different within the popular
ENTERTAINMENT (Hindi) 2,00,000/- format.
Director : 
Dibakar Banerjee

4 NARGIS DUTT AWARD Aai Kot Nai Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its honest look at a burning
 FOR BEST FEATURE Rajen Bora  problem in Northeast India, its
FILM ON NATIONAL (Assamese)   Rs attempt to break down artificial
INTEGRATION Director :   1,50,000/- boundaries and giving it a
Manju Borah  human and aesthetic appeal.
5 BEST FILM ON FAMILY Little Zizou Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its witty and intelligent
VALUES Jigri Dost  handling of the conflicts and
(English, Productions  Rs convictions confronting the
Gujarati)   1,50,000/- Paris community.
Director :
Sooni 
Taraporevala  
6 BEST FILM ON SOCIAL Jogva Producer:   Rajat Kamal For hard hitting comment on
ISSUES SUCH AS Shripal Morakhia  the victims of age old social
PROHIBITION, WOMEN (Marathi)   Rs customs.
 
AND CHILD WELFARE, 1,50,000/-
Director :  
ANTI-DOWRY, DRUG
ABUSE, WELFARE OF Rajeev Patil 
THE HANDICAPPED
ETC.
7 BEST FILM ON Jianta Bhoota Producer:   Rajat Kamal For sensitive portrayal of
ENVIRONMENT Akshay Kumar  exploitation of innocence in the
CONSERVATION/ (Oriya) Parija   Rs name of development.
PRESERVATION   1,50,000/-
Director :  
Prashanta Nanda  

8 BEST CHILDREN’S Gubbachigalu Producer:   Swarna Kamal For imaginative portrayal of a

FILM Media House  magic world that exists in the
(Kannada) Studio  Rs minds of children.
  1,50,000/-
 Director :  
Abhaya Simha 
 
9 BEST ANIMATION FILM Roadside Romeo Producer:   Swarna Kamal For its technical achievements
Aditya Chopra  to further the craft of
(Hindi)   Rs animation for mainstream
Director :  1,00,000/- audience.
Jugal Hansraj 
 
Animator:  
Tata Elxsi/VCL 
10 BEST DIRECTION Naan Kadauul Bala  Swarna Kamal For its powerful handling of an
extraordinary subject that
(Tamil) Rs focuses on marginal characters
2,50,000/- with great convection.
11 BEST ACTOR Jogva Upendra Limaye  Rajat Kamal For his restrained yet powerful
depiction of a complex
(Marathi) Rs 50,000/- character.
12 BEST ACTRESS Fashion Priyanka Chopra Rajat Kamal For convincing portrayal of a
whole range of emotions within
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- a single character.
13 BEST SUPPORTING Rock On !! Arjun Rampal  Rajat Kamal For his moving performance as
ACTOR a musician trying to rise above
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- personal tragedy.
14 BEST SUPPORTING Fashion Kangana Ranaut  Rajat Kamal For compelling portrayal of a
ACTRESS down and out supper model
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- that enriches the impact of the
film.
15 BEST CHILD ARTIST Thanks Maa Shams Patel   Rajat Kamal For his very natural depiction
  of a street child thrown into an
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- unusual situation.
16 BEST MALE PLAYBACK Jogva Hariharan   Rajat Kamal For his soulful rendition
SINGER   reflecting the agony of
(Marathi) For the song  Rs 50,000/- unfulfilled emotions.
  “ Jeev Dangla 
Gungla Rangla 
….” 
17 BEST FEMALE Antaheen Shreya Ghoshal   Rajat Kamal for  her wide ranging rendition of 
PLAYBACK SINGER (Bengali)   human emotions 
 & For the song  Rs 50,000/-
Jogva “Pherari Mon…..” 
(Marathi)  &  
“Jeev Dangla 
Gungla Rangla ” 
18 BEST Antaheen Avik  Rajat Kamal For the poetically captured
CINEMATOGRAPHY Mukhopadhyay  visuals with inspired use of
(Bengali)   Rs 50,000/- light and shades to enhanced
Lab: Filmlab,  the mood of the film.
Mumbai  
19 BEST SCREENPLAY Gandha Sachin Kundalkar   Rajat Kamal For its remarkable integration
of three different plots using
(Marathi) Rs 50,000/- the sense of smell at as a liet
motif to focus sensitively on
human relationships.
20 BEST AUDIOGRAPHY Gandha Pramod J.  Rajat Kamal For its use of dramatically
Thomas  scripted sounds to heighten th
(Marathi) Rs 50,000/- mood of the film.
21 BEST EDITING Firaaq A. Sreekar Prasad  Rajat Kamal For aesthetically weaving
together unrelated sequences to
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- heighten the dramatic impact.
22 BEST ART DIRECTION Firaaq Gautam Sen  Rajat Kamal For its perfect use of props and
choice of colours to enhance the
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- ambience of a post-ri
23 BEST COSTUME Jodha Akbar Neeta Lulla  Rajat Kamal For its painstaking detail to
DESIGNER recreate the costume costumes
(Hindi) Rs 50,000/- and jewellery of Mughal era.
24 BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST Naan Kadauul Moorthy V.  Rajat Kamal For its wide variety of make-up
inputs to reflect the large
 (Tamil) Rs 50,000/- spectrum of characters.
25 BEST MUSIC Jogva Ajay and Atul  Rajat Kamal For its well-researched use of
DIRECTION traditional and folk music to
(Marathi) Rs 50,000/- reinforce the theme of the film.
26 BEST LYRICS Antaheen Anindya  Rajat Kamal For its simple composition of
Bannerjee  verses to contribute
(Bengali) &  Rs 50,000/- meaningfully to the film.
Chandranil 
Bhattacharya 
for the lyric 
 “Pherari 
Mon…..” 
27 SPECIAL JURY AWARD Bioscope Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its exciting revival of a
National Film  sincerely personal style to look
(Malayalam) Development  Rs 50,000/- back on a chapter of history.
Corporation 
 
Director : 
K.M. 
Madhusudhanan 
28 BEST SPECIAL Mumbai Meri Govardhan   Rajat Kamal For its stunning use of technical
EFFECTS Jaan (TATA ELXSI)  effects of visual shorts to
Rs 50,000/- mirror a man-made disaster.
(Hindi)
29 BEST CHOREOGRAPHY Jodha Akbar Chinni Prakash  Rajat Kamal For its extravagant and
&  dreamlike treatment of
(Hindi) Rekha Prakash  Rs 50,000/- celebrations on a magnificent
“Azeem‐o‐Shaan  scale.
Shaheshah….” 
30 BEST FEATURE FILM
IN EACH OF THE
LANGUAGE SPECIFIED
IN THE SCHEDULE VIII
OF THE CONSTITUTION
I BEST ASSAMESE FILM Mon Jai Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its honest exploration of
Moirangthem  ethical values confronting the
Movies  Rs youth.
  1,00,000/-
Director :  
M. Maniram 
II BEST BENGALI FILM Shob Charitro Producer:   Rajat Kamal Poetic treatment of an
Kalponik Reliance Big  individual sensitivities in a
Pictures  Rs crisis.
  1,00,000/-
Director :  
Rituparno Ghosh 
III BEST HINDI FILM Rock On Producer:   Rajat Kamal For an emotional story of
Excel  musical bonding.
Entertainment  Rs
Pvt. Ltd.   1,00,000/-
 
Director :  
Abhishek Kapoor 
IV BEST KANNADA Vimukthi Producer:   Rajat Kamal For exploring different
Navyachitra  dimension of family ties.
Creations  Rs
  1,00,000/-
Director :  
P. Sheshadri 
V BEST MALAYALAM Thirakkada Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its poignant story of an
FILM Varnachithra  actress told with sincerity and
BIGSCREEN  Rs conviction.
  1,00,000/-
Director :  
Ranjith 
VI BEST MARATHI FILM Harishcnadrachi Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its original of stylized
Factory UTV Motion  recreation of a slice of history.
Pictures  Rs
  1,00,000/-
Director :  
Paresh Mokashi 
VIII BEST TAMIL FILM Veranam Airam Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its engaging depiction of a
V. Ravichandran  depiction of a father and son
  Rs relationship.
Director :   1,00,000/-
 Gautham 
Vasudeva Menon 
BEST TELUGU FILM 1940 Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its courageous handling of
Lookagramam N.C. Narasimham  caste-based prejudices.
  Rs
Director :   1,00,000/-
Narasimha Nandi 
31 BEST FEATURE FILM  
IN EACH OF THE
LANGUAGES OTHER
THAN THOSE
SPECIFIED IN
SCHEDULE VIII OF THE
CONSTITUTION
BEST ENGLISH FILM Land Gold Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its intense depiction of the
Women Vivek Agrawal  issue of honour killing.
  Rs
Director :   1,00,000/-
Avantika Hari 
BEST KOKBOROK FILM Yarwng Producer:   Rajat Kamal For a meaningful story of
Joseph  displaced people looking to
Kizhakechennadu  Rs rebuild their lives.
  1,00,000/-
Director :  
Joseph 
Pulinthanath 
BEST TULU FILM Gaggara Producer:   Rajat Kamal For its attempt to preserve
M. Durganand  traditional folk forms.
  Rs
Director :   1,00,000/-
Shivadhwaj 
Shetty 

S. No. Name of Award
1 Best Non-Feature film
2 Best First Non-Feature
Film of a Director
DIRECTORATE OF FILM FESTIVALS
(Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)
Government of India
56th NATIONAL FILM AWARDS FOR THE YEAR 2008
Non - Feature Films
Name of Film Awardee Medal Citation
AFSPA 1958 Producer:   SWARNA A courageous depiction of the non -
Bachaspa Timayun  Rs 1,00,000/- violent resistance of the people of Manipur
Sunzu &  to protest against a legislation, which
Haobam Paban  undermines the values of self respect and
Kumar  the fundamentals of democracy. The
  documentation process by various crews
Director :   and the way it is chronicled offers multiple
Haobam Paban  perspectives.
Kumar 
VITTHAL Producer:   RAJAT A sensitive portrayal of the latent violence
Vinoo Choliparambil   Rs 1,00,000/- building up in a child against the ritualistic
&  social norms which are forced on him. The
Manu Pushpendran  filmmaker demonstrates maturity and
  dexterity in handling the script and the
Director :   actors, bringing out the complexity of a
Vinoo Choliparambil  child’s mind trapped in a world of adults.
3 Best BOLIAY PITAIER Producer:   RAJAT A film which uniquely depicts the long
Anthropological/Ethnogr SOHOKI SOOTAL Altaf Mazid, Zabeen  Rs 50,000/- arduous struggle of a community to build
aphic Film Ahmed &  Susanta  check dams using their indigenous
Roy  engineering skills. An experiential journey
  which transcends documentation and
Director :   makes the viewer participate in the
 Altaf  Mazid  process.
4 Best THE Producer:   RAJAT Traversing vast stretches of time and
Biographical/Historical ASSASSINATION Films Division  Rs 50,000/- geographical space, this film deftly puts
Reconstruction/Compilati OF RAJIV GANDHI –   together strands of information,
on film A Director :   perception, evidence and historical
RECONSTRUCTION
R. Krishna Mohan  contexts to reconstruct a compelling
narrative about the gruesome
assassination of a world leader.

5 Best Arts/Cultural Film
KARNA MOTCHAM Producer:   RAJAT Using powerful imagery and ironical
MGR Film & TV  Rs 50,000/- juxtaposition, the film depicts the life of a
Institute   Koothu artist. With subtlety, it captures
  the frustration and the hopelessness of a
Director :   performer whose art is a misfit in a
S. Murali Manohar  changing cultural world.

6 Best Scientific Film TRIP Producer:   RAJAT The film with a simple, almost
(including method and  Film & Television  Rs 50,000/- lighthearted, treatment evolves into a
process of science, Institute of India  powerful message of conservation. Using
contribution of Scientists   an unconventional music track and
etc.)/ Environment
Director :   animation, the film jolts the viewer to re-
Conservation/Preservati
on Film (including
Emmanuel Palo  look at waste and pollution.
awareness)
7 Best Promotional Film LOST AND FOUND
(to cover tourism,
exports, crafts, industry,
etc.)
8 Best Agriculture Film (to THE LAND OF
include subject related to RUPSHUPAS
and allied to agriculture
like animal husbandry,
dairying etc.)
Producer:   RAJAT Using a bottle as a metaphor for a journey
Harshavardhan G.  Rs 50,000/- of discovery, the filmmaker finds an
Kulkarni, Kirti  innovative style to explore various
Nakhwa & Amitabh  locations through people and their
Shukla  experiences, challenging the classical
  promotional style of selling tourism.
Director :  
Harshavardhan G. 
Kulkarni 
Producer:   RAJAT With breath taking images of the higher
Films Division  Rs 50,000/- Himalayas and the nomadic people living
  in this harsh climate and terrain, the film
Director :   effectively explores the relationship of the
 A.K. Sidhpuri  Rupshupas with their livestock and how
critical it is for their survival.
9 Best Film on Social THE FEMALE NUDE Producer:   RAJAT A compelling portrait of a woman who
Issues (such as  PSBT  Rs 50,000/- rises above her circumstances in an
prohibition, women and   unconventional way, carving out a position
child welfare and dowry, Director :   for herself irrespective of how others view
drug abuse, welfare of &
Hemjyotika & Devi  her.
the handicapped etc.)
Prasad Mishra 
  The journey of two adivasi women from
BURU GAARA   Jharkhand, finding their identity and
Producer:   dignity using language - one through
PSBT  poetry and the other through grassroots
  journalism. The film creates a space
Director :   where the narratives of the women
Shriprakash  emerge as powerful tales of their struggle
for empowerment.
10 Best POLIO VS. POLIO Producer:   RAJAT An innovative campaign for the
Educational/Motivational/ VICTIMS  Gulshan Sachdeva  Rs 50,000/- eradication of polio - the film follows the
Instructional Film   polio afflicted who take the initiative for
Director :   mass awareness by going door to door.
Aman Sachdeva 

11 Best Exploration/ SHINGNABA Producer:   RAJAT The film is an inspiring portrayal of an HIV
Adventure Film (to Bachaspa Timayum  Rs 50,000/- positive person who dramatically
include sports) Sunzu  transforms his life and becomes a
  champion body builder. A first person
Director :   narrative, it provides a new perspective on
Bachaspa Timayum  AIDS and our understanding of sports.
Sunzu 
12 Best Investigative Film DISTANT Producer:   RAJAT The film evokes painful memories of
RUMBLINGS Ms. Rongsenkala  Rs 50,000/- World War II as experienced by people of
  North East India, after the Japanese
Director :   invasion. Through war wreckages found in
Bani Prakash Das  the jungles and first person accounts, the
film stitches together a moving story of
affected families long forgotten.

13 Best Animation Film PRINCE AND THE Producer:   RAJAT A well knit theme-oriented film, complemented
CROWN OF Children’s Film  Rs 50,000/- by 2D graphics and a restrained colour
STONES Society of India  palette. A strong message about leadership
  emerges through the film making it relevant to
Director :   the contemporary times.
Gautam Benegal 
 
Animator : Gautam 
Benegal 
14 Special Jury Award Director of Rajesh S. Jala  RAJAT Constrained by the stifling and searing
CHILDREN OF THE Rs 50,000/- world of children working in cremation
PYRE grounds, the film helps them to recreate a
world of their own. The director captures
rare reflexive moments of the children and
makes the viewers live their pain, joys and
dreams.
15 Short Fiction Film STATIONS Producer:   RAJAT The film weaves a complex contemporary
Film & Television  Rs 50,000/- form of expression, through fragmented
Institute of India  stories of a few sparsely connected lives in
  transit, over an omnipresent dark urban reality
of economic disparity, alienation, and bad
Director :  
faith.
Emmanuel Palo 
16 Best Film on Family APPUVIN Producer:   RAJAT The film scores with a very tender story
Values NAYAGAN- SPOTTY A.V. Anoop  Rs 50,000/- that transforms into a moving portrayal of
(My Hero)   a child’s attachment to her toy and her
Director :   grandfather’s dilemma when he loses it. A
Madhavan  sensitive film that offers fresh insights into
a child’s imagination and needs.

17 Best Direction THREE OF US Director :   SWARNA With immense sensitivity, the film offers a
Umesh Kulkarni  Rs 1,00,000/- slice of life of a physically challenged person,
which transcends into a telling cinematic
practice of minimalism and control. A poetic
exploration that breathes the indomitable spirit
of these real characters playing themselves,
way above its bleak mise-en-scene.
18 Best Cinematography THREE OF US Lab:   RAJAT With amazing discipline and sensitivity,
Filmlab, Mumbai  Rs 50,000/- the cinematography provides an intimate
  insight into the lives of a small family,
Cameraman:  living in a confined space, with exquisite
Shariqva Badar Khan  use of composition, rhythm, lensing and
&   lighting.
 
Lab:   Using highly sophisticated texture and
WHEN THIS MAN Adlabs, Mumbai  tonal work, with deep anticipation into the
DIES Cameraman:  flow and narrative of the film, the
Jayakrishna  cinematography strives to redefine ways
Gummadi  of image making and experience.

19 Best Audiography CHILDREN OF THE Re‐Recordist:  RAJAT With multiple layers of sound, and the
PYRE Mateen Ahmad  Rs 50,000/- incessant crackle of funeral pyres that cease
to sleep, the film grips its audience with a
sense of entrapment around the life of
children working inside a cremation ground. It
is a telling example of digetic sound design
keeping its truth to the reality of the location.

20 Best Editing STATIONS Manoj Kannoth  RAJAT A delicately interwoven edit of three sparsely
Rs 50,000/- connected contemporary urban tales of
alienation. Developing a rhythm with parallel
and simultaneous stories, the cutting sculpts
an extremely powerful contemporary form.
21 Best Music Direction NARMEEN  Vipin Mishra  RAJAT A sensitive and evocative musical score,
Rs 50,000/- with an amazing use of the violin
ensemble, which is both a deeply personal
and universal experience.

22 Best Narration/Voice SANA KEITHEL Elangbam Natasha   RAJAT A gentle and intimate voice which leads you to
Over Rs 50,000/- a great treasure house of insights on markets
run by women in Manipur.
23 Jury Special Mention Child actor in Child Actor: Aniket  Certificate For his excellent portrayal of a young boy,
VITTHAL Rumade  only Vitthal, dealing with ritualistic norms
forced on him and his struggle to contain
the anger brewing within.
 DIRECTORATE OF FILM FESTIVALS
(Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)
Government of India

56th NATIONAL FILM AWARDS FOR THE YEAR 2008

BEST WRITING ON CINEMA
S. Name of Name of Book Awardee Medal Citation
No. Award
1 BEST BOOK Bollywood Publisher :   Swarna Ganesh Anantraman sails down the
ON CINEMA Melodies   Kamal mainstream of Hindi film music but manages
Penguin Books  to find rivulets of solace all his own. He
(English) India Pvt. Ltd.  Rs 75,000 blends substance with style, taking care not
  to appear too profound or flimsy. He brings
Author:   out the lesser known aspects of popular
  Hindi film songs thereby infusing them with
Ganesh  fresh dignity. Ganesh delves into the ragas
Anantharaman   of film songs, keeping some space for little
banter between artists.
2 SPECIAL The Director’s Ujjal  Certificate Ujjal Chakraborty gives a fresh insight into
JURY Mind Chakraborty  the works of timeless luminaries. That is no
MENTION mean achievement considering Ujjal talks of
(English) works of some of biggest film makers. Rather
then confusing the readers with technical
jargon, Ujjal brings to the fore the ethos of
film making, revealing the masterpieces of
past Masters.
 2 BEST FILM Altaf Mazid  Swarna A straight laced expression marks Altaf
CRITIC   Kamal Mazid’s works. His simple narration of
  subjects is backed up by a researcher’s keen
  Rs 75,000 eye. He talks of the specific in a universally
  acceptable manner. No flourishes, he focuses
  on Assamese film industry with steadfastness
  and perseverance. Quite appropriately too,
  for an industry that is now celebrating its
  Platinum jubilee.
 
  and
and 
  R.K. Bidur Singh takes the readers to a state
  little known to our film makers. He
R.K. Bidur  understands cinema like few others, bringing
Singh  with him an open mindset that accepts the
plurality of thought. He upholds the cause of
regional film makers and his ability to focus
on cultural relativity does not leave him even
when he talks of international cinema. He
loves films and it shows in his works.