52nd National Film Awards

From here I came to know that 52nd National Film Awards is going to be announced today July 13. While googling, I got a copy of the application form to be filled and sent to Information and Broadcasting ministry to nominate the film for national awards. It is quite interesting to have a read through it and know what goes behind choosing the winners of these awards.

Here are some of my thoughts as I read through the application

One of the bulletins from the form

1) If the same film qualifies for more than one award from among the categories referred to at (i) to (ix), (xxviii) & (xxix) of Schedule I, the producer and/or the director of the film will receive only the higher award, determined on the basis of the cash component. However, this will not debar the producer and/or the director from winning one of these awards for other films.

Is the movie that wins the “Best Feature Film Award” is also the “Best Regional Film” of the region to which it belongs or can it be a different movie?

(i)– Best Feature Film (xxvii) – Best Regional Language Film

2) In the case of award for Best Children’s Film only such films shall be eligible as
have been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification as Children’s films.

Is there any rating as “Children’s film” in Central Board of Film Certification or do they mean a clean “U” certificate?

A film produced by a film institute running diploma/degree courses run by it which are recognized by the Government of India shall be eligible even without certification by the Central Board of Film Certification, provided a specific certificate from the Head of the organization to the effect that the film has been produced within the eligibility period, is sent along with the entry form.

Now I understood how the film institute students bag national awards for the films which make as their final year projects.

Why they need all these?

3) For a feature film the following shall also be furnished along with the entry form:-
(a) Two copies of the detailed synopsis in English or Hindi covering a maximum of 2 pages on standard A-4 size bond paper.
(b) Two copies of English/Hindi translation of dialogue/commentary of films produced in a non-scheduled language or dialect”.
(c) Short biographical sketches of producer, director, screenplay writer, leading and supporting artists, cameraman, audiographer, editor, art director, costume designer, choreographer, special effects creator, lyricist, music director and playback singer along with two photographs of each one of them;

Even we can understand the need of the first two but why they need the third i.e., biography, photographs etc., I think this is how some of the talented people who haven’t been recognized for long time get their recognition for some of their not the best effort.

4) The Chairpersons of the Juries may seek advice of experts in specialized areas, whenever necessary.

Does it mean that they seek help from technical persons to decide the awards for categories like Audiographer, Special Effects, Editing etc.,

5) The juries shall have the discretion to recommend that an award in any particular category may not be given if they are of the opinion that the entries in that category are not of the required standard.

Oh! That is why there was no film selected as “Best Regional Film” in Telugu for the year 2002. Thankfully there are some good contenders in Telugu this year to bag this award among which “Anand” being the front runner.

6) Best Music Direction Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs.10,000/- to the
Music Director (Songs and Background Music Score)

I feel there can be separate categories for Songs and Background Score. Still the board has not understood the prominence and importance of background score in movies. So, the composers doing background score for movies which songs will not be considered for this award. I was really frustrated to know that Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy bagged the award for “Kal Ho Na Ho”. Though it was good, it wasn’t great enough to be claimed as the best of Indian music in 2003. I think with L.Subramaniam in the jury, the award will go to the most deserving composer this year.

7) In the list of details about the crew of the movie, there is one single field for Male Playback singer and Female Playback Singer. These days, at least 10 singers are credited for the songs in the movie. So which singer will the producer mention in the form. Or is it that producer himself nominates one among the singers. Which ever the way it is, the process of selecting best singer remains a mystery always. Though Chitra is a great singer, Anuradha Sriram did a great job in the devotional number “Andendra Mazhaiyilae” song from “Minsara Kanavu” but Chitra bagged the award for a joyful number “Ooh la la la” from the same movie.

Flash News

While I was typing the draft of this post, I came to know that Saif and Aishwarya bag best Actor and Actress award for “Hum Tum” and “Raincoar” respectively.
Saif!!!!!!!!!! For Hum Tum!!!!!!!!
Aish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Page 3 - Best Feature Film
Buddhadeb Dasgupta - Best Director (Bengali Film "Swapner Din")

More to Come...