# 50th National Film Awards

The 50th 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 2002.
Awards were announced by the committee headed by Prakash Jha, Rajiv Mehrotra and Udaya Tara Nayar for the feature films, non-feature films and books written on Indian cinema, respectively, on 26 July 2003; whereas the award ceremony took place on 29 December 2003 and awards were given away by then President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

## 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 | | Dev Anand | Actor, director and producer | Swarna Kamal, ₹ 100,000 and a Shawl |

### Feature films

Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 50th National Film Awards, a Bengali film, Mondo Meyer Upakhyan won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film; whereas a Tamil film, Kannathil Muthamittal won the maximum number of awards (6). Following were the awards given in each category:

#### Juries

A committee headed by Prakash Jha was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members:
* Jury Members
** Prakash Jha (Chairperson) • Amitabh Parashar • Arun Kaul • Biju Viswanath • Biplab Roy Chowdhary • Dinyar Contractor
** Gautam Kaul • K. S. L. Swamy • Kiran Ghai • Alex Mathew • Manoj Tiwari • Mrinal Kanti Das • Mukesh Khanna
** Nasir Mahmood Quraishi • Nirad N. Mohapatra • Shyamaprasad • Rauf Ahmed • S. Theodore Baskaran
** Saibal Chattopadhyay • Sreelekha Mukherji • Swapan Mallick • Zoobi Amir

#### 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 | Mondo Meyer Upakhyan | Bengali | Producer: Arya Bhattacharya director: Buddhadeb Dasgupta | ₹ 50,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its poetic exploration of human and social realities concerning people on the fringes of society. ||||
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Patalghar | Bengali | Producer: Niti Sonee Gourisaria Director: Abhijit Chaudhuri | ₹ 12,500/- Each |
| ₹ 12,500/- Each |||
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Prohor | Bengali | Producer: Debjani Gupta Director: Subhadro Chaudhary | ₹ 12,500/- Each |
| ₹ 12,500/- Each |||
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Devdas | Hindi | Producer: Bharat Shah Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali | ₹ 40,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its technical finesse and its modern reinterpretation of an enduring classic. ||||
| Best Children's Film | Baaja | Hindi | Producer: Children's Film Society Director: Apurba Kishore Bir | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its poignant, portrayal of the maturing of a young mind. ||||
| Best Direction | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | English | Aparna Sen | ₹ 50,000/- |
| Citation: For her effective and subtle handling of people caught in a trying and difficult times. ||||

##### 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 | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | English | Producer: N. Venkatesan Director: Aparna Sen | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its humane depiction of the bonding between two individuals of different religious backgrounds in the midst of communal tension. ||||
| Best Film on Other Social Issues | Swaraaj | Hindi | Producer: George Mathew Director: Anwar Jamal | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its strong and competent depiction of women's empowerment in rural India. ||||
| Best Actor | The Legend of Bhagat Singh | Hindi | Ajay Devgn | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For entering into the spirit of the legendary character and for living up to the challenge of history. ||||
| Best Actress | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | English | Konkona Sen Sharma | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For her strong and effective portrayal of a Tamil Brahmin woman caught between an orthodox mindset and human compassion. ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Nanba Nanba | Tamil | V. Chandrasekhar | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For his touching and absorbing portrayal of a physically challenged man. ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Shubho Mahurat | Bengali | Raakhee | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For her finely balanced portrayal of an enigmatic and unlikely detective against a simple middle class background. ||||
| Best Child Artist | Makdee | Hindi | Shweta Prasad | ₹ 5,000/- Each |
| ₹ 5,000/- Each |||
| Best Child Artist | Kannathil Muthamittal | Tamil | P. S. Keerthana | ₹ 5,000/- Each |
| ₹ 5,000/- Each |||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Zindagi Khoobsurat Hai ("Chhote Chhote Sapne") | Hindi | Udit Narayan | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For his melodious rendering of the title song. ||||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Devdas ("Bairi Piya") | Hindi | Shreya Ghoshal | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For her soulful rendering of the song. ||||
| Best Cinematography | Patalghar | Bengali | Cameraman: Abhik Mukhopadhyay Laboratory Processing: Rainbow Color Lab | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For creating the distinctive and elegant visual ambience of the film that is excellently in tune with the mood of the story. ||||
| Best Screenplay | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | English | Aparna Sen | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For its fluid narration of the nuances of an ambiguous relationship in troubled times. ||||
| Best Audiography | Kannathil Muthamittal | Tamil | • A. S. Laxmi Narayanan • H. Sridhar | ₹ 5,000/- Each |
| Citation: For creating a sounds cape that heightens the dramatic conflicts of the story. ||||
| Best Editing | Kannathil Muthamittal | Tamil | A. Sreekar Prasad | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For heightening the dramatic conflicts of the story. ||||
| Best Art Direction | Devdas | Hindi | Nitin Chandrakant Desai | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For creating an evocative visual setting for the romantic drama. ||||
| Best Costume Design | Devdas | Hindi | • Neeta Lulla • Abu Jani • Sandeep Khosla • Reza Shariffi | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For their researched, inventive, designing of costumes enhancing the persona of the various characters. ||||
| Best Music Direction | Kannathil Muthamittal | Tamil | Songs and Background Score: A. R. Rahman | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For his original musical score highlighting the cultural conflicts and personal anguish in the story. ||||
| Best Lyrics | Kannathil Muthamittal | Tamil | Vairamuthu | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For rising above the conventions of film songs to reach the realms of poetry. ||||
| Best Special Effects | Magic Magic | Tamil | Indian Artists | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For the skilful use of digital technology to create a world of fantasy and magic. ||||
| Best Choreography | Devdas ("Dola Re Dola") | Hindi | Saroj Khan | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For her creation of captivating dance movements to reflect the spirit of the characters and the period. ||||
| Special Jury Award | Multiple films | – | Prakash Raj (Actor) | ₹ 25,000/- |
| Citation: For the impressive power and versatility, which he has contributed to films in multiple languages. ||||
| Special Mention | Bhavam | Malayalam | Jyothirmayi (Actress) | Certificate Only |
| Citation: For her remarkable performance. ||||

#### 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 | Konikar Ramdhenu | Producer: Sailadhar Baruah Director: Jahnu Barua | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its sensitive portrayal of child abuse. |||
| Best Feature Film in Bengali | Shubho Mahurat | Producer: Jagannath Films Director: Rituparno Ghosh | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its intelligent handling of characters in a detective story. |||
| Best Feature Film in Hindi | The Legend of Bhagat Singh | Producer: Tips Industries Director: Rajkumar Santoshi | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its gripping portrayal of the life and times of a legendary martyr. |||
| Best Feature Film in Kannada | Singaaravva | Producer: Sandesh Nagraj Director: T. S. Nagabharana | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its stylised treatment of a folk tale. |||
| Best Feature Film in Malayalam | Nizhalkuthu | Producer: Adoor Gopalakrishnan Director: Adoor Gopalakrishnan | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its exploration of the mind of a hangman. |||
| Best Feature Film in Marathi | Vastupurush | Producer: NFDC Director: Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its competent handling of a feudal family caught in the vortex of social change in post-independence India. |||
| Best Feature Film in Tamil | Kannathil Muthamittal | Producer: Madras Talkies Director: Mani Ratnam | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its superb craftsmanship and commitment to a contemporary tragedy. |||
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 | Stumble | Producer: 2 Streams Media Director: Prakash Belawadi | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its intelligent handling of corruption prevailing in the world of information technology. |||

### 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 Rajiv Mehrotra was appointed to evaluate the non-feature films awards. Following were the jury members:
* Jury Members
** Rajiv Mehrotra (Chairperson) • Apurba Sharma • Kanan Krishnamurthy • Satya Narayan • Satya Prakash 'Aseem'

#### 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 | Narayan Gangaram Surve | Marathi | Producer: Khayal Trust Director: Arun Khopkar | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the innovative telling of the story of the life of the great Marathi poet juxtaposed with the evocative visualisation of his poems. The film makes brilliant use of image and metaphor as it evolves a complex and powerful narrative. ||||
| Best Non-Feature Film Direction | A Few Things I Know About Her | English | Anjali Panjabi | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the film on the saint Mirabai. With rare cinematic virtuosity, she brings together different strands from the elusive Mirabai's drawing upon stories, poetry, myth and legend into a cohesive whole. ||||

#### 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 | Paramapatham | Tamil | Producer: Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu Director: Prabhu Radhakrishnan | ₹ 5,000/- Each |
| ₹ 5,000/- Each |||
| Best First Non-Feature Film | Beyond or Within | English | Producer: P. T. M. Payyoli Director: Vinod Mankara | ₹ 5,000/- Each |
| ₹ 5,000/- Each |||
| Best Anthropological / Ethnographic Film | The Morung – Silent Witness of the Brave Wancho | English | Producer: Anthropological Survey of India Director: Bappa Ray | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its detailed and painstaking yet engaging documentation of The Wancho Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. The film imaginatively tells the story of both their past and the present through its vivid account of the central role that the 'dormitory' once played in the community. ||||
| Best Biographical Film | Meeting Manjit | English | Producer: Ina Puri Director: Buddhadeb Dasgupta | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For making incisive use of the visual potential of cinema to give us rare insight into an artist's life, his subconscious and its articulation on canvas. The film brilliantly juxtaposes the journeys of the artist, his friend Ina and the film maker himself. ||||
| Best Arts / Cultural Film | The Eye of the Fish – The Kalaries Of Kerala | English | Producer: Films Division Director: Priya Krishna Swamy | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For the rich visual texture of the film on Kalarippayuttu with its simple and effective story telling powerfully counterpoints its message of the need to reject violence and war and develop a focused mind as a potent tool of self realisation. ||||
| Best Environment / Conservation / Preservation Film | Urumattram | Tamil | Producer: G. Meenakshi Sundaram and B.Sivakumar Director: B.Sivakumar | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For moving short fiction that captures the depth of human emotions embodied in mans relationship to nature that nurtures him. Even as all seems lost to the family patriarch as trees must make way for a plastic factory, the grand son offers seeds of hope. ||||
| Best Promotional Film | The Treasure in the Snow: A Film On Sikkim | English | Producer: Ministry of External Affairs and South Asia Foundation Director: Goutam Ghose | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its weaving of a magical cinematic spell that vividly captures the mist and mystery of the abundant natural beauty of Sikkim – its history, people and culture. ||||
| Best Film on Social Issues | Avchetan | Hindi | Producer: Prem Matiyani for Films Division and Ministry of Social Empowerment Director: Manisha Dwivedi | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its sensitive and direct portrayal of the predicaments and crisis of homosexuality both for the individual and his family. The short film powerfully covers a large canvas bringing together a team of outstanding new talent from the FTII led by Manisha Diwedi. ||||
| Best Short Fiction Film | Sunder Jibon | Bengali | Producer: Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute Director: Sandeep Chattopadhyay | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its sensitive and nuanced story about a writer and the sour taste of beauty. The film is notable for its technical excellence and the excellent synergy created by the young director Sandip Chattopadhyay and his colleagues from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Calcutta. This award applauds them all. ||||
| Best Film on Family Welfare | Dhatri Panna | Hindi | Producer: Films Division and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Director: Gul Bahar Singh | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Citation: For its success in the simple yet difficult art of cinematic story telling with an important and explicit message for its rural audience, of how the tradition of the village dai can and must give way to the trained midwife. ||||
| Best Editing | 00:00 | English | Pratap P Nair | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For its intelligent and engaging use of cinematic form and structure as it weaves itself in and out of hotel rooms and people's lives on New Year's Eve at a sea-side hotel. ||||
| Best Music Direction | Kalighat Paintings And Drawings | English | Raja Mitra | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For a simple yet engaging music track that brings alive the Kalighat paintings in the film of the same title. ||||
| Special Jury Award | 00:00 | English | Wrik Basu and team (Director) | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Citation: For its intelligent and engaging use of cinematic form and structure as it weaves itself in and out of hotel rooms and people's lives on New Year's Eve at a sea-side hotel. ||||
| Special Mention | Kalighat Paintings And Drawings | English | Raja Mitra (Director) | Certificate Only |
| Citation: For its significant achievement in documenting the rich artistic tradition and its implicit social commentary. ||||

### 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 Udaya Tara Nayar was appointed to evaluate the writing on Indian cinema. Following were the jury members:
* Jury Members
** Udaya Tara Nayar (Chairperson) • Om Thanvi • Rashmi Doraiswamy

#### 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 | Paroma and other Outsiders: The Cinema of Aparna Sen | English | Author: Shoma Chatterjee Publisher: Parumita Publications | ₹ 15,000/- Each |
| ₹ 15,000/- Each |||
| Best Book on Cinema | Ritu Aaye Ritu Jaaye | Hindi | Author: Sarat Dutt Publisher: Saaransh Publications Pvt. Ltd. | ₹ 15,000/- Each |
| ₹ 15,000/- Each |||
| Best Film Critic | | English | Utpal Borpujari | ₹ 15,000/- |
| Citation: For his sensitive analysis of a wide range of films – Indian, foreign, feature and documentary – and his attempt to focus on social issues and changing family mores and values. ||||

#### Special Mention

All the award winners are awarded with Certificate of Merit.
| Name of Award | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
| Special Mention (Film Critic) | Marathi | Ashok Rane | Certificate Only |
| Citation: For his objective evaluation of trends in cinema in India as well as abroad. ||||

### Awards not given

Following were the awards not given as no film was found to be suitable for the award:
* Best Film on Family Welfare
* Best Film on Environment / Conservation / Preservation
* Best Feature Film in Manipuri
* Best Feature Film in Oriya
* Best Feature Film in Punjabi
* Best Feature Film in Telugu
* Best Scientific Film
* Best Agricultural Film
* Best Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film
* Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film
* Best Exploration / Adventure Film
* Best Investigative Film
* Best Animation Film
* Best Non-Feature Film Cinematography
* Best Non-Feature Film Audiography