# 43rd National Film Awards

The 43rd National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1995. Ceremony took place on 6 August 1996 and awards were given by then President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma.

## Awards

Awards were divided into feature films, non-feature films and books written on Indian cinema.

### Lifetime Achievement Award

| Name of Award | Image | Awardee(s) | Awarded As | Awards |
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | | Rajkumar | Actor, Playback singer | Swarna Kamal, ₹100,000 and a Shawl |

### Feature films

Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 43rd National Film Awards, a Malayalam film, Kathapurushan won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film whereas a Malayalam film, Kaalapani won the maximum number of awards (4). Following were the awards given in each category:

#### Juries

A committee headed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members:
* Jury Members
** Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Chairperson) • Kiran Shantaram • K. G. George • Gautam Bora • M. Prabhakar Reddy • R. Lakshman • Mahendran • Deepti Naval • Narayan Chakraborty • P. A. Saleem • Hari Kumar • Sarat Pujari • Ashok Kumar • Sanjay Chatterjee • K. Ibohal Sharma • P. B. Sreenivas

#### All India Award

Following were the awards given:

##### Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best Feature Film | Kathapurushan | Malayalam | Producer: Adoor Gopalakrishnan director: Adoor Gopalakrishnan | ₹50,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the remarkable portrayal of the individual born on the eve of Independence. The film gives an insight into the socio-political evolution of the post-independent India through the individual with outstanding cinematic qualities and universal appeal. ||||
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Kahini | Bengali | Producer: Chandramala Bhattacharya and Malaya Bhattacharya Director: Malaya Bhattacharya | ₹25,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its bold and innovative style and choice of a subject in which the form and content merges into one. ||||
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge | Hindi | Producer: Yash Chopra | ₹40,000/- |
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge | Hindi | Director: Aditya Chopra | ₹25,000/- |
| Citation: For providing meaningful family entertainment through a simple love story with kindness and sensitivity. ||||
| Best Children's Film | Halo | Hindi | Producer: National Center of Films for Children and Young People Director: Santosh Sivan | ₹30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its refreshing approach to the subject and in bringing out the impact of urban insensitivity from a child's point of view leading to a memorable finale. ||||
| Best Direction | Naseem | Hindi | Saeed Akhtar Mirza | ₹50,000/- |
| Citation: For the deeply moving portrayal of a family in turmoil in the midst of communal disharmony with lyrical quality and brilliant cinematic touches. ||||

##### Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best Feature Film on National Integration | Bombay | Tamil | Producer: Mani Ratnam and S. Sriram Director: Mani Ratnam | ₹30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its bold and sensitive approach to the problem of communal divide and for bringing out the futility of the carnage in the name of religion. ||||
| Best Film on Family Welfare | Mini | Malayalam | Producer: Madhu Director: P. Chandrakumar | ₹30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the effective handling of the problem of alcoholism through the determined efforts of a young girl to save her father from self destruction. ||||
| Best Film on Other Social Issues | Doghi | Marathi | Producer: NFDC and Doordarshan Director: Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukathnkar | ₹30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its depiction of poverty-stricken rural family consisting of two young sisters. The agony of survival in a tradition bound hostile society and their subsequent liberation is beautifully depicted in the film. ||||
| Best Film on Environment / Conservation / Preservation | Rape in the Virgin Forest | Bodo | Producer: Jwngdao Bodosa Director: Jwngdao Bodosa | ₹30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For effectively handling the problem of deforestation, through the life and struggle of a tribal community and exposing the real culprits behind this crime. ||||
| Best Actor | The Making of the Mahatma | English | Rajit Kapur | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: 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. ||||
| Best Actress | Bandit Queen | Hindi | Seema Biswas | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For her stunning and courageous portrayal of the controversial role of a bandit with grace and conviction. ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Swami Vivekananda (Part I) | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For his brilliant and soul searching portrayal of Shree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and succeeds in elevating the character to a spiritual level. ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kathapurushan | Malayalam | Aranmula Ponnamma | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For her work in the film in which she plays the role of a grand mother with tremendous sensitivity which makes her presence in the film memorable. ||||
| Best Child Artist | Kraurya | Kannada | Master Vishwas | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For his sensitive portrayal of a child, traumatised in an adult world devoid of love and understanding. ||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai ("Umandu Ghumandu Ghana Garaje Badara") | Kannada | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For his soulful rendering of the classical song. ||||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Doghi ("Bhui Bhegalali Khol") | Marathi | Anjali Marathe | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For her melodious and heart rendering song expressing the aridness of life. ||||
| Best Cinematography | Kaalapani | Malayalam | Cameraman: Santosh Sivan Laboratory Processing: Gemini Color Lab, Madras | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For bringing out the flavor and authenticity of a period with a remarkable use of lights, shades and colours. ||||
| Best Screenplay | Naseem | Hindi | • Ashok Mishra • Saeed Akhtar Mirza | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For their masterly and sensitive visual narration of a volatile and confused situation of the year 1992 in India with great depth and simplicity of words. ||||
| Best Audiography | Kaalapani | Malayalam | Deepan Chatterji | ₹10,000/- |
| ₹10,000/- |||
| Best Audiography | Halo | Hindi | Deepan Chatterji | ₹10,000/- |
| ₹10,000/- |||
| Best Editing | Bombay | Tamil | Suresh Urs | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For its impeccable craftsmanship in bringing about the pace, rhythm and flow in narrating the story. ||||
| Best Art Direction | Kaalapani | Malayalam | Sabu Cyril | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For his apt and outstanding recreation of the early decades of this century, with a remarkably detailed work of mis-en-scene. ||||
| Best Costume Design | Bandit Queen | Hindi | Dolly Ahluwalia | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For her authentic creation of costumes in terms of the tone and texture of the rugged and harsh realities of ravines of Chambal and its people. ||||
| Best Music Direction | Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai | Kannada | Hamsalekha | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For his authentic utilisation of classical Indian music in both the Hindustani and Karnatic style and presenting a wholesome musical structure to the film. ||||
| Best Lyrics | Bhairavi ("Kuch Is Tarah") | Hindi | Amit Khanna | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: The lyrics are meaningful, poetic and sensitively enhance the overall mood of the song sequence, thereby elevating the film. ||||
| Best Special Effects | Kaalapani | Malayalam | S. T. Venki | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For creating innovative and spectacular visual effects. ||||
| Best Choreography | Yugant | Bengali | Ileana Citaristi | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For her simply graceful and imaginative compositions of the dance sequence. ||||
| Special Jury Award | The Making of the Mahatma | English | Shyam Benegal (Director) | ₹25,000/- |
| Citation: For effectively recreating the formative years of Gandhi during his early years in South Africa thereby giving insight into the future "Mahatma". ||||
| Special Mention | Doghi | Marathi | Uttara Baokar (Actor) | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||
| Special Mention | Stri | Telugu | Rohini (Actress) | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||
| Special Mention | Halo | Hindi | Benaf Dadachandji (Child actor) | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||

#### Regional Awards

The award is given to best film in the regional languages in India.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best Feature Film in Assamese | Itihas | Producer: Leena Bora Director: Bhabendra Nath Saikia | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its able depiction of complexity of life brought about by urbanisation. |||
| Best Feature Film in Bengali | Yugant | Producer: NFDC Director: Aparna Sen | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its contemporary form and thematic content, and subtle handling of the complex subject of a broken marriage. The film has universal appeal which has great relevance in today's society |||
| Best Feature Film in Hindi | Bandit Queen | Producer: Sundeep Singh Bedi Director: Shekhar Kapur | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its stark and frank portrayal of an Indian woman in a caste ridden society. |||
| Best Feature Film in Kannada | Kraurya | Producer: Nirmala Chitgopi Director: Girish Kasaravalli | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its poignant travail of and old woman'a agony in a middle class family and her complex relationship with the individuals of three generation. |||
| Best Feature Film in Malayalam | Ormakalundayirikkanam | Producer: Salam Karassery Director: T. V. Chandran | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the film, which through the eyes of a young boy traces the graph of a political transformation in Kerala. |||
| Best Feature Film in Manipuri | Sanabi | Producer: NFDC Director: Aribam Syam Sharma | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its apt and poetic handling of the conflict between the traditional and modern values, knitted around a pony symbolically. |||
| Best Feature Film in Marathi | Bangarwadi | Producer: NFDC and Doordarshan Director: Amol Palekar | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its realistic portrayal of a Maharashtrian village in the thirties through the experience of a young school teacher who tries to fight against all odds and superstition. |||
| Best Feature Film in Oriya | Moksha | Producer: Jayadev Mallick and Pramoda Kumar Nayak Director: Gouri Shankar Das and Malaya Kumar Roy | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For depicting the life of two people in a rural set up who suffer an entire life of loneliness and unfulfilment, because of the rigid traditional values of society. |||
| Best Feature Film in Tamil | Anthimanthaarai | Producer: Megaa Movies Director: Bharathiraja | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For a most heart breaking portrayal of the unrecognised and lonely life of people who fought for the freedom of this country. |||
| Best Feature Film in Telugu | Stri | Producer: NFDC and Doordarshan Director: K. S. Sethumadhavan | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: The film is a startling revelation of the mind of a simple village woman, who asserts her right over her man and stands by him under all circumstances. |||
Best Feature Film in Each of the Language Other Than Those Specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best Feature Film in English | The Making of the Mahatma | Producer: NFDC Director: Shyam Benegal | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For tracing the significant early years of strife and struggle of Gandhi in South Africa in a realistic and lyrical form. |||

### Non-Feature Films

Short Films made in any Indian language and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification as a documentary/newsreel/fiction are eligible for non-feature film section.

#### Juries

A committee headed by Vijaya Mulay was appointed to evaluate the non-feature films awards. Following were the jury members:
* Jury Members
** Vijaya Mulay (Chairperson) • Kulanda Kumar Bhattacharya • Naresh Bedi • Pradeep Biswas • M. V. Krishnaswamy

#### Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best Non-Feature Film | Tarana | English | Producer: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division Director: Rajat Kapoor | ₹20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its excellent cinematic interpretation of a traditional, mystic music form. ||||

#### Silver Lotus Award

Official Name: Rajat Kamal
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)' and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best First Non-Feature Film | All Alone If Need Be | English | Producer: Amulya Kakati Director: Ranjit Das | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For a sensitive portrayal of Shri Sarat Chandra Sinha, simple upright man of principles with uncompromising integrity and human qualities both in his personal and public life. ||||
| Best Anthropological / Ethnographic Film | Yelhou Jagoi | Meitei | Producer: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Director: Aribam Syam Sharma | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For documenting authentically and artistically a traditional dance form of Manipur. ||||
| Best Biographical Film | A Living Legend | English | Producer: Aurora Film Corporation Pvt. Ltd. Director: Satadru Chaki | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For portraying with sincerity the life of an educationist and parliamentarian Prof. Hiren Mukherjee. ||||
| Best Arts / Cultural Film | Pakarnnattam Ammannur The Actor | Malayalam | Producer: P. G. Mohan Director: M. R. Rajan and C. S. Venkiteswaran | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For recording sensitively the ancient theatre form of Koodiyattam as interpreted by the legendary Koodiyattam actor Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. ||||
| Best Scientific Film | A Celestial Tryst (N. M. No. 291) | English | Producer: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division Director: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For presenting the total solar eclipse in all its captivating beauty, while providing relevant scientific information. ||||
| Best Environment / Conservation / Preservation Film | Amrit Beeja | English and Kannada | Producer: Meera Dewan Director: Meera Dewan | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For successfully recording our traditions in the field of preservation of environment by women. ||||
| Best Agricultural Film | Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation | Hindi | Producer: L. K. Upadhyaya for Films Division Director: A. K. Goorha for Films Division | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the simple, direct and clear demonstration of new irrigation systems. ||||
| Best Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film | Bhalji Pendharkar | English | Producer: C. S. Nair and B. R. Shendge for Films Division Director: P. B. Pendharkar for Films Division | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its careful reconstruction of the life of a pioneering film maker, vis-a-vis the national movement and post independence scenario. ||||
| Best Film on Social Issues | Memories of Fear | Hindi and English | Producer: Flavia Agnes, Majlis Production Director: Madhushree Dutta | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For exposing with insight the fear psychosis and humiliation of women in the patriarchal Indian society. ||||
| Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film | Home Away From Home | English | Producer: V. B. Joshi Director: Late Vishram Revankar | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For presenting ably how the vision of Dr. Karve has been turned into a reality for education and development of women. ||||
| Best Investigative Film | Limit to Freedom | English | Producer: Deepak Roy Director: Deepak Roy | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For depicting the miserable plight of women prisoners and their bleak protests for any future. ||||
| Best Animation Film | O | English | Producer: Bhimsain Director: Kireet Khurana Animator: Kireet Khurana | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For succinctly and with humor showing that acquisitions can become a burden and only after this load is cast off that human beings become happy like children. ||||
| Best Short Fiction Film | The Rebel | Hindi | Producer: John Shankarmangalam Director: Rajashree | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For showing an adolescent's journey to maturity and his coming to terms with his mother. ||||
| Best Film on Family Welfare | Soch Samajh Ke | Hindi | Producer: Shanta Gokhle and Arun Khopkar Director: Arun Khopkar | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For presenting aesthetically how family welfare could be achieved despite complex family relationships. ||||
| Best Cinematography | Tarana | Hindi | Cameraman: Rafey Mehmood Laboratory Processing: Adlabs | ₹10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the beautiful images achieved through fascinating camera movements, excellent lighting, composition in tandem with music. ||||
| Best Audiography | Tatva | Hindi | Shyam Sunder | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For the creative use of sound to interpret the theme of the film. ||||
| Best Editing | Kutravali and Oodaha | Tamil | B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For rhythmic pace in relation to the appropriate mood of both the films. ||||
| Best Music Direction | Amrit Beeja | English and Kannada | Shubha Mudgal | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For providing suitable support with a mix of classical and folk music. ||||
| Special Jury Award | Sona Maati | Marwari | Sehjo Singh (Producer) | ₹10,000/- |
| Citation: For presenting an excellent, inspiring portrait of a woman peasant who is leading the struggle of women against land grabbing. ||||
| Special Mention | Ajit | Hindi | Arvind Singh (Director) | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||
| Special Mention | Ithihasathile Khasak | English and Malayalam | Rashmi Film Society (Producer) | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||
| Special Mention | Majhi | Bengali | Biswadeb Dasgupta (Producer and Director) | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||

### Best Writing on Cinema

The awards aim at encouraging study and appreciation of cinema as an art form and dissemination of information and critical appreciation of this art-form through publication of books, articles, reviews etc.

#### Juries

A committee headed by Aruna Vasudev was appointed to evaluate the writing on Indian cinema. Following were the jury members:
* Jury Members
** Aruna Vasudev (Chairperson) • Vinod Tiwari • Rangarajan (Sujata)

#### Golden Lotus Award

Official Name: Swarna Kamal
All the awardees are awarded with 'Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal)' and cash prize.
| Name of Award | Name of Book | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Best Book on Cinema | Marathi Cinema: In Retrospect | English | Author: Sanjit Narwekar Publisher: Govind Swarup | ₹15,000/- Each |
| Citation: For thoroughly researched and well written history of Marathi cinema from the silent era to the present. The text is combined with photographs in such a way as to make the book as visually pleasing as it is valuable as a reference book. ||||
| Best Film Critic | | English and Malayalam | M. C. Raja Narayanan | ₹15,000/- |
| Citation: For his well written and analytical articles on both World cinema and the works of Indian directors. He writes with rare fluency in Malayalam and in English offering perceptive insights in a direct and readable style. ||||

#### Special Mention

All the award winners are awarded with Certificate of Merit.
| Name of Award | Name of Book | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Special Mention (Book on Cinema) | Alanti Chalanchitram | Telugu | K. N. T. Sastry | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||
| Special Mention (Book on Cinema) | Cinemachi Chittarkatha | Marathi | Ashok Rane | Certificate Only |
| Certificate Only |||

### Awards not given

Following were the awards not given as no film was found to be suitable for the award:
* Best Feature Film in Punjabi
* Best Non-Feature Film Direction
* Best Promotional Film
* Best Exploration / Adventure Film