Vidya Balan bags National Award for The Dirty Picture

The most prestigious awards in cinema are announced as Girish Kulkarni wins the National Award for Best Actor as Byari and Deool win the Best Feature film award.

Rohini Hattangadi chairperson of the Feature Films Jury announced the list of winners for 59th National Film Awards.

Marathi film Deool and Byari -- both dealing with man's engagement with religion -- shared the Best Feature Film award while Vidya Balan was named the Best Actress at the 59th National Awards announced in New Delhi today.

Deool won its lead star Girish Kulkarni the National award for Best Actor at the awards where except for Balan, the awards in key categories went to regional films.

Directed by Umesh Kulkarni, Deool is a wonderfully authentic depiction of village life and a penetrating account of commercialisation of religion.

"It is a great moment for us as we worked hard on the film for two years. It was a closely knit team. It is very encouraging for us who want to make movies without compromising on content. I am really happy for Girish. He is a very versatile and genuine actor," Umesh told PTI.

Byari, the first feature film in the Byari language, conveys the trauma of a woman who has to deal with unjust religious strictures.

Gurvinder Singh from Punjab won the Best Direction award for his film Anhe Ghorey Da Daan.

Tamil film Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai was named the Best Popular film while its lead Appu Kutty won the Best Supporting Actor award.

Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi was named the Best Supporting Actress for her role in Manipuri film Phijigee Mani.

Onir's I Am, a compilation four different stories about identity, was named the best Hindi film. The film also won in the Best Lyrics category for Amitabh Bhattacharya written Agar Zindagi.

"I am numb right now, this is so unexpected! It gives me so much strength to continue with such work. This award comes at a time when I was disheartened that I Am didn't get due recognition. And now it has been noticed by the most prestigious award of our country," said Onir.

Sanjay Suri, who stars in the film, said, "The award is a double achievement for me as an actor and a producer. These awards are so out of reach. Being acknowledged by them is a proud moment."

Salman Khan's production Chillar Party bagged the Best Children Film award and the 10 children starring in the film bagged the award for Best Child Actors. The Best Child Artist award went to Partho Gupte for his work in Stanley Ka Dabba.

Vikas Behl and Manish Tiwari won the Original Screenplay award for Chillar Party, while the Adapted Screenplay award went to Avinash Deshpande Nigdi for the Marathi film Shala.

Bosco-Caeser won the Best Choreography award for the song Senorita from Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

"Ceaser and I just cannot believe that we have won a National Award!" Bosco exclaimed. "This is the first time we have won it and we are thrilled. Our phones have not stopped ringing since it was announced. This was a song for which I never expected any recognition and we got such a prestigious award for it.

"We are planning to get a sherwani stitched for us for the award ceremony because we're always seen in western clothes," Bosco added.

The Indira Gandhi award for the Best Debut film of a director went to Tamil filmmaker Kumararaja Thiagarajan for his movie Aaranyakandam.

Shah Rukh Khan starrer Ra.One was given the award for Best Special Effects.

Anjan Dutt won a special mention by the jury for his versatility while his film Ronjona Ami Aar Ashbona bagged the Best Bengali film award. The Best Music Direction (songs) went to Neel Dutt for the same film while Mayookh Bhowmick won the Best Background score award for Bengali film Laptop.

"I am happy and overwhelmed, more so for my cast and everybody behind the film," said Anjan.

Award for Best Male Playback Singer went to Anand Bhate for Balgandharva, while Roopa Ganguly won the Best Female Playback Singer for the film Abosheyshey.

Best make-up award went to Vikram Gaikwad for two films -- the Marathi biopic Bal Gandharv and The Dirty Picture, where as the Best Costume was shared by Neeta Lulla for Bal Gandharv and Niharika Khan for The Dirty Picture.

The awards will be given on May 3.