The 23rd 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 1975.
At 23rd National Film Awards, two new awards were introduced for the short films category for Best News Review and Best Newsreel Cameraman. These newly introduced awards includes Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) and a Certificate. Over the years, these two awards are discontinued.
Awards
Awards were divided into feature films and non-feature films.
Awards were also renamed with 23rd National Film Awards. President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film renamed to National Film Award for Best Feature Film, whereas President's Gold Medal for the Best Documentary Film is to National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film. For children's films, Prime Minister's Gold Medal is renamed as National Film Award for Best Children's Film. At the regional level, President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film is renamed as National Film Award for Best Feature Film in a particular language.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Name of AwardImageAwardee(s)Awarded AsCash prizeDadasaheb Phalke AwardDhirendra Nath GangulyActor and DirectorSwarna Kamal, 20,000 and a Shawl
Feature films
Feature films were awarded at All India as well as regional level. For 23rd National Film Awards, a Kannada film, Chomana Dudi won the President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film also winning the maximum number of awards (three) with the Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal. Following were the awards given in each category:
All India Award
Following were the awards given:
AwardFilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prizeBest Feature FilmChomana DudiKannadaProducer: Ashok KumarSwarna Kamal, 40,000 and a CertificateDirector: B. V. KaranthRajat Kamal, 15,000 and a CertificateSecond Best Feature FilmMausamHindiProducer: P. Mallikharjuna RaoRajat Kamal, 15,000 and a CertificateDirector: GulzarRajat Kamal, 10,000 and a CertificateBest Feature Film with Mass Appeal, Wholesome Entertainment and Aesthetic ValueTapasyaHindiProducer: Rajshri ProductionsSwarna Kamal and a CertificateDirector: Anil GangulyRajat Kamal and a CertificateBest DirectionJana AranyaBengaliSatyajit RayRajat Kamal, 20,000 and a CertificateBest Cinematography (Black and White)Apoorva RaagangalTamilB. S. LoknathRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateBest Cinematography (Color)Muthyala MugguTeluguIshan AryaRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateBest ActorChomana DudiKannadaM. V. Vasudeva RaoRajat Kamal, 10,000 and a CertificateBest ActressMausamHindiSharmila TagoreRajat Kamal, 10,000 and a CertificateBest Male Playback SingerHamsageetheKannadaM. BalamuralikrishnaRajat Kamal and a CertificateBest Female Playback SingerApoorva RaagangalTamilVani JairamRajat Kamal and a CertificateBest Music DirectionChameli MemsaabAssameseBhupen HazarikaRajat Kamal, 10,000 and a CertificateBest StoryChomana DudiKannadaK. Shivaram KaranthRajat Kamal, 10,000 and a Certificate
Regional Award
The awards were given to the best films made in the regional languages of India. For feature films in English, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Meitei, Oriya and Punjabi, President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film was not given.
All the awardees are awarded with 'Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal)', a certificate and cash prize. The producer and director of the film were awarded with 10,000 and 5,000, respectively.
AwardFilmAwardee(s) Producer DirectorBest Feature Film in AssameseChameli MemsaabSeuj Bolechari SanthaAbdul MajidBest Feature Film in BengaliPalankaFilmarts, CalcuttaRajen TarafdarBest Feature Film in HindiNishantFreni M. VariavaShyam BenegalMohan J. BijlaniBest Feature Film in KannadaHamsageetheM/s. Anantha Lakshmi FilmsG. V. IyerBest Feature Film in MalayalamSwapnadanamT. Mohamed BabuK. G. GeorgeBest Feature Film in MarathiSamnaRamdas PhutaneJabbar PatelBest Feature Film in TamilApoorva RaagangalD. JayalakshmiK. BalachanderG. VijayalakshmiBest Feature Film in TeluguMuthyala MugguM. V. L. Narasimha RaoBapu
Non-Feature films
For 23rd National Film Awards, two new awards were introduced for the short films category for Best News Review and Best Newsreel Cameraman. These newly introduced awards includes Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) and a Certificate. Over the years, these two awards are discontinued.
Short films
AwardFilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prizeBest Information Film (Documentary)Winged WonderlandEnglishProducer: Shanti VarmaRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateDirector: Shanti VarmaBest Educational / Instructional FilmInduced BreedingEnglishProducer: K. K. KapilRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateDirector: Suraj JoshiRajat Kamal, 4,000 and a CertificateBest Film on Social DocumentationBaster Rhythm Of ProgressEnglishProducer: Chandrashekhar NairRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateDirector: Chandrashekhar NairBest Commercial Promotional Film (Advertisement)Zenith of IndiaEnglishProducer: Film Media, BombayRajat Kamal and a CertificateDirector: Jyoti G. ThakurBest Promotional Film (Non-Commercial)Poems in PatternEnglishProducer: Ranabir RayRajat Kamal and a CertificateDirector: Ranabir RayBest Experimental FilmAwasheshHindiProducer: FTIIRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateDirector: Girish KasaravalliRajat Kamal, 4,000 and a CertificateBest Animation FilmBusiness is PeopleEnglishProducer: Akbar Films, BombayRajat Kamal, 5,000 and a CertificateDirector: Kantilal RathodRajat Kamal, 4,000 and a CertificateBest News ReviewIndian News Review No. 1399N. V. K. MurthyRajat Kamal and a CertificateBest Newsreel CameramanFlood Havocs(Indian News Review No. 1399)A. S. AgnihotriRajat Kamal and a CertificateAbinashi RamA. R. Saroef
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 Children's Film Best Lyrics Best Feature Film on National Integration Best Child Artist Best Screenplay President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in English President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Manipuri President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Oriya President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Punjabi
References
External links National Film Awards Archives Official Page for Directorate of Film Festivals, India