# National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film

The National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus).
The National Film Awards, established in 1954, are the most prominent film awards in India that merit the best of the Indian cinema. The ceremony also presents awards for films in various regional languages.
Awards for films in seven regional language (Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu) started from 2nd National Film Awards which were presented on 21 December 1955. Three awards of "President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film", "Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film" and "Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film" were instituted. The later two certificate awards were discontinued from 15th National Film Awards (1967). Since the 70th National Film Awards, the name was changed to "Best Tamil Feature Film".
The 1954 film, directed by S. M. Sriramulu Naidu, Malaikkallan was honoured with the first president's silver medal for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Certificate of Merit for Second and Third Best Feature Films in Tamil were received by Andha Naal and Edhir Paradhathu respectively.

## Winners

Award includes 'Rajat Kamal' (Silver Lotus Award) and cash prize. Following are the award winners over the years:
Awards legends :
| * | President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film |
| * | Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film |
| * | Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film |
| * | Certificate of Merit for the Best Feature Film |
List of award films, showing the year (award ceremony), producer(s) and director(s) :
| Year | Film(s) | Producer(s) | Director(s) |
| 1954 (2nd) | Malaikkallan | Pakshiraja Studios | S. M. Sriramulu Naidu |
| 1954 (2nd) | Andha Naal | AVM Productions | S. Balachander |
| 1954 (2nd) | Edhir Paradhathu | • Saravanabhava • Unity Pictures | Ch. Narayanamoorthy |
| 1955 (3rd) | Mangaiyar Thilakam | Vaidya Films | L. V. Prasad |
| 1956 (4th) | Kuladeivam | S. K. Pictures | Krishnan–Panju |
| 1957 (5th) | Mudhalali | M. A. V. Pictures | Muktha V. Srinivasan |
| 1958 (6th) | Thanga Padhumai | Jupitor Pictures Pvt Ltd. | A. S. A. Samy |
| 1958 (6th) | Annaiyin Aanai | A. M. M. Ismayil | Ch. Narayanamoorthy |
| 1959 (7th) | Bhaaga Pirivinai | G. N. Velumani | A. Bhimsingh |
| 1959 (7th) | Veerapandiya Kattabomman | B. R. Panthulu | B. R. Panthulu |
| 1959 (7th) | Kalyana Parisu | • Sarvashri S. Krishnamurthy • T. Govindarajan • C. V. Sridhar | C. V. Sridhar |
| 1960 (8th) | Parthiban Kanavu | Jubilee Films Pvt Ltd. | D. Yoganand |
| 1960 (8th) | Paadhai Theriyudhu Paar | Kumari Films Pvt Ltd. | Nemai Ghosh |
| 1960 (8th) | Kalathur Kannamma | AVM Productions | A. Bhimsingh |
| 1961 (9th) | Kappalottiya Thamizhan | Padmini Pictures | B. R. Panthulu |
| 1961 (9th) | Pasamalar | Rajamani Pictures | A. Bhimsingh |
| 1961 (9th) | Kumudham | Modern Theatres | Adurthi Subba Rao |
| 1962 (10th) | Nenjil Oor Alayam | Chithralaya | C. V. Sridhar |
| 1962 (10th) | Annai | AVM Productions | Krishnan–Panju |
| 1962 (10th) | Sarada | Al. Srinivasan | K. S. Gopalakrishnan |
| 1963 (11th) | Naanum Oru Penn | Murugan Brothers | A. C. Tirulokchandar |
| 1963 (11th) | Karpagam | K. S. Sabarinathan | K. S. Gopalakrishnan |
| 1963 (11th) | Karnan | B. R. Panthulu | B. R. Panthulu |
| 1964 (12th) | Kai Koduttha Dheivam | M. S. Velappan | K. S. Gopalakrishnan |
| 1964 (12th) | Pazhani | A. P. Chinnappa | A. Bhimsingh |
| 1964 (12th) | Server Sundaram | AVM Productions | Krishnan–Panju |
| 1965 (13th) | Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum | AVM Productions | Krishnan–Panju |
| 1965 (13th) | Thiruvilayadal | Shri Vijayalakshmi Pictures | A. P. Nagarajan |
| 1966 (14th) | Ramu | AVM Productions | A. C. Tirulokchandar |
| 1967 (15th) | Aalayam | M/s. Sunbeam | • Thirumalai • Mahalingam |
| 1968 (16th) | Thillana Mohanambal | Shri Vijayalakshmi Pictures | A. P. Nagarajan |
| 1969 (17th) | Iru Kodugal | • N. Selvaraj • B. Doraisamy • N. Krishan • V. Govindarajan | K. Balachander |
| 1970 (18th) | Raman Ethanai Ramanadi | P. Madhavan | P. Madhavan |
| 1971 (19th) | Veguli Penn | Abdul Kabar | S. S. Devadass |
| 1972 (20th) | Pattikada Pattanama | P. Madhavan | P. Madhavan |
| 1973 (21st) | Dikkatra Parvathi | • M. Lakshmikantha Reddy • H. M. Sanjeeva Reddy | Singeetham Srinivasa Rao |
| 1974 (22nd) | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 1975 (23rd) | Apoorva Raagangal | • P. R. Govindarajan • J. Duraisamy | K. Balachander |
| 1976 (24th) | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 1977 (25th) | Agraharathil Kazhuthai | – | John Abraham |
| 1978 (26th) | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 1979 (27th) | Pasi | G. Lalitha | Durai |
| 1980 (28th) | Nenjathai Killathe | K. Rajgopal Chetty | Mahendran |
| 1981 (29th) | Thaneer Thaneer | • P. R. Govindarajan • J. Duraisamy | K. Balachander |
| 1982 (30th) | Ezhavathu Manithan | Palai N. Shanmugam | K. Hariharan |
| 1983 (31st) | Oru Indhiya Kanavu | • T. P. Varadarajan • Vijayalakshmi Desikan | Komal Swaminathan |
| 1984 (32nd) | Achamillai Achamillai | • Rajam Balachander • V. Natarajan | K. Balachander |
| 1985 (33rd) | Muthal Mariyathai | Bharathiraja | Bharathiraja |
| 1986 (34th) | Mouna Ragam | G. Venkateswaran | Mani Ratnam |
| 1987 (35th) | Veedu | Kaladas | Balu Mahendra |
| 1988 (36th) | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 1989 (37th) | Pudhea Paadhai | A. Sundaram | R. Parthiban |
| 1990 (38th) | Anjali | M/S Sujatha Productions (P) Ltd | Mani Ratnam |
| 1991 (39th) | Vanna Vanna Pookkal | Kalaipuli S. Dhanu | Balu Mahendra |
| 1992 (40th) | Thevar Magan | Kamal Haasan | Bharathan |
| 1993 (41st) | Mahanadi | S. A. Rajakannu | Santhana Bharathi |
| 1994 (42nd) | Nammavar | B. Venkatarama Reddy | K. S. Sethumadhavan |
| 1995 (43rd) | Anthimanthaarai | Tilaka Ganesh (Mega Movie Makers) | Bharathiraja |
| 1996 (44th) | Kadhal Kottai | Sivashakthi Pandian | Agaththian |
| 1997 (45th) | The Terrorist | A. Sriram | Santosh Sivan |
| 1998 (46th) | Housefull | R. Parthiban | R. Parthiban |
| 1999 (47th) | Sethu | A. Kandasamy | Bala |
| 2000 (48th) | Bharati | Messers Media Dreams (P) Ltd | Gnana Rajasekaran |
| 2001 (49th) | Ooruku Nooruper | L. Suresh | B. Lenin |
| 2002 (50th) | Kannathil Muthamittal | • Mani Ratnam • G. Srinivasan | Mani Ratnam |
| 2003 (51st) | Iyarkai | V. R. Kumar | S. P. Jananathan |
| 2004 (52nd) | Navarasa | Sunil Doshi | Santosh Sivan |
| 2005 (53rd) | Aadum Koothu | Light and Shadow Movie Makers | T. V. Chandran |
| 2006 (54th) | Veyil | S. Shankar | Vasanthabalan |
| 2007 (55th) | Periyar | M/s Liberty Creations Ltd. | Gnana Rajasekaran |
| 2008 (56th) | Vaaranam Aayiram | V. Ravichandran | Gautham Vasudev Menon |
| 2009 (57th) | Pasanga | M. Sasikumar | Pandiraj |
| 2010 (58th) | Thenmerku Paruvakaatru | Shibu Issac | Seenu Ramasamy |
| 2011 (59th) | Vaagai Sooda Vaa | • S. Muruganandham • N. Puranna | A. Sarkunam |
| 2012 (60th) | Vazhakku Enn 18/9 | N. Subhash Chandra Bose | Balaji Sakthivel |
| 2013 (61st) | Thanga Meengal | JSK Film Corporation | Ram |
| 2014 (62nd) | Kuttram Kadithal | • Chris Pictures • JSK Film Corporation | G. Bramma |
| 2015 (63rd) | Visaranai | Wunderbar Films | Vetrimaaran |
| 2016 (64th) | Joker | Dream Warrior Pictures | Raju Murugan |
| 2017 (65th) | To Let | Prema Chezhian | Chezhiyan |
| 2018 (66th) | Baaram | • Priya Krishnaswamy • Ardra Swaroop | Priya Krishnaswamy |
| 2019 (67th) | Asuran | Kalaipuli S. Thanu | Vetrimaaran |
| 2020 (68th) | Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum | Hamsa Productions | Vasanth |
| 2021 (69th) | Kadaisi Vivasayi | Tribal Arts Production | M. Manikandan |
| 2022 (70th) | Ponniyin Selvan: I | • Madras Talkies • Lyca Productions | Mani Ratnam |