The 48th National Film Awards, which was presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, was set up in by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to acknowledge the achievements of Indian Cinema released in the year of 2000 (although some 2001 films were awarded). The ceremony took place on 12th December 2001 and the awards were given by the then-President of India, K. R. Narayanan.
Awards
Awards were divided into three categories as feature films, non-feature films, and books written on Indian cinema.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Name of AwardImageAwardee(s)Awarded AsAwardsDadasaheb Phalke AwardAsha BhoslePlayback SingerSwarna Kamal, and a Shawl
Feature films
Feature films were awarded at an all-India as well as regional level. For the 48th National Film Awards, a Malayalam film, Shantham won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film; a Tamil film, Bharathi won the maximum number of awards (4). Following were the awards given in each category:
Juries
A committee headed by Vyjayanthimala was appointed to evaluate the feature films awards. Following were the jury members:
Jury Members Vyjayanthimala (Chairperson)Chitra DesaiDhritiman ChatterjeeHariharanKeyaarR. LakshmanMadhumita RautMac MohanNibedita PradhanParvathi IndusekharPawan KumarSonali KotnisShashi RanjanSushant MishraTarun Vijay
All India Award
Following awards were 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 AwardName of FilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prizeBest Feature FilmShanthamMalayalamProducer: P. V. Gangadharandirector: Jayaraj 50,000/- EachCitation: For addressing the very contemporary issue of political rivalry and violence in our society in an unusually imaginative way. The language of the film goes beyond conventional narrative for appeal to calmness and good sense.Best Debut Film of a DirectorSayahnamMalayalamProducer: M. S. NazeerDirector: R. Sarath 25,000/- EachCitation: For the nature and gripping manner in which this young director deals with complex issues like political honesty and nuclear disarmament.Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome EntertainmentVaanathaippolaTamilProducer: V. RavichandranDirector: Vikraman 40,000/- EachCitation: For its sincere projection of the values of a joint family and the need to share good and difficult times together.Best Children's FilmGharaksharangalMalayalamProducer: Salim PadiyathDirector: Salim Padiyath 30,000/- EachCitation: For depicting, through the eyes of a child love and respect for our mother tongue and culture tackling many social issues pertaining to education, agriculture and general empowerment, for a civic society.Best DirectionUtsabBengaliRituparno Ghosh 50,000/-Citation: For working with a large group of actors within the confines of a rambling old house. The director builds an unpretentious, gripping and entirely credible narrative and brings about in the process some extremely powerful performances.
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 AwardName of FilmLanguageAwardee(s)Cash prizeBest Feature Film on National IntegrationPukarHindiProducer: Surinder KapoorDirector: Rajkumar Santoshi 30,000/- EachCitation: For tackling the problem of terrorist infiltrations and the army's counter attacks. And situations where armed and civilian forces unite against the common external enemy.Best Film on Family WelfareKal Kaa AadmiHindiProducer: Ministry of Health and Family WelfareDirector: Amol Palekar 30,000/- EachCitation: For telling the story of Raghunath Karve, who, early in this century, pioneered the debate on sexual and reproductive rights. The film recreates the period in painstaking detail and helps to raise consciousness about issues which are extremely relevant today.Best Film on Other Social IssuesVetri Kodi KattuTamilProducer: D. PandianDirector: Cheran 30,000/- EachCitation: For discussing issues on migration from one's own land and the social implications that follow, in the heart land of Tamilnadu, highlighting the need to re-establish the holistic culture of society .MunnudiKannadaProducer: NavachitraDirector: P. SheshadriCitation: For attempting to discuss the misuse of Shariat by opportunistic men and the manipulation of the testaments on "Nikah" and "Talaaq".Best Film on Environment / Conservation / PreservationOru Cheru PunchiriMalayalamProducer: Jisha JohnDirector: M. T. Vasudevan Nair 30,000/- EachCitation: For telling the simple and moving story of an elderly couple and their relationship with the world around them. In depicting the couple's love for the trees and plants in their garden, the film spreads the message of environmental conservation in the broadest sense in a gentle, unobtrusive way.Best ActorPukarHindiAnil Kapoor 10,000/-Citation: For his role in the film. A veteran actor of great versatility, meets the varied demands of this role with credibility and assured technical skill.Best ActressDaman: A Victim of Marital ViolenceHindiRaveena Tandon 10,000/-Citation: For a portrayal of a submissive woman who is subjected to constant physical and psychological torture by her husband. The character comes out of her passive shroud fearing her daughter may suffer the same fate as her.Best Supporting ActorMunnudiKannadaH. G. Dattatreya 10,000/-Citation: For his portrayal of Hasanabba. He is an agent who procures local girls for arabs to marry in an impoverished village in Karnataka. H. G. Dattatreya brings a wonderful sensitivity to the character, without turning it into a stereotypical villain.Best Supporting ActressShanthamMalayalamK. P. A. C. Lalitha 10,000/-Citation: For the role of Narayani in the film. Narayani is an elderly mother whose son has been killed in political violence. In the course of the film, she is transformed, gently and unobtrusiveuly into a crusade for peace. Lalitha brings great professional skills and sensitivity to the role.Best Child ArtistNila KaalamTamilUdayaraj 10,000/-Citation: For his portrayal of Pulli in the film. Pulli is a very young orphan who works in a motor garage in chennai. The jury applauds the way in which master udayaraj brings out both the innocence and street – smartness of Pulli, with a combination of energy and spontaneity.Best Male Playback SingerKandukondain KandukondainTamilShankar Mahadevan 10,000/-Citation: For the soulful rendering of the song.Best Female Playback SingerBharathiTamilBhavatharini 10,000/-Citation: For the song which is outstanding because it depicts the velvet voice of the diva.Best CinematographyMokshaHindiCameraman: Ashok MehtaLaboratory Processing: Prasad Film Laboratory 10,000/- EachCitation: For providing wide range of tonal variation and outstanding compositions to cater to the changing moods of the film's narrative.Best ScreenplayKadal PookkalTamilBharathiraja 10,000/-Citation: For focusing, in present times of degeneration, on love, sacrifice and family values.Best AudiographyMokshaHindiAnup Dev 10,000/-Citation: The audiographer has, with extreme care, chosen the right sound, ambience and layered the tracks in an immaculate way to create an atmosphere to support the narrative of the film.Best EditingSnip!EnglishSuresh PaiApurva Asrani 10,000/-Citation: For creating an evocative rhythm in the film enhancing the pace of the narrative while aesthetically maintaining the unit of form and content.Best Art DirectionBharathiTamilP. Krishnamoorthy 10,000/-Citation: For aesthetically recreating the period of early twentieth century taking great care in selecting authentic properties of the time to enhance the décor of both interiors as well as exteriors, thus bringing alive Tamilnadu of that period.Best Costume DesignBharathiTamilP. Krishnamoorthy 10,000/-Citation: For recreating a whole range of period costume to depict the early twentieth century of Tamil/Banaras. The aesthetic selection of colours go well with the décor of the structure/sets and the costumes give the film and authentic look.Best Music DirectionRefugeeHindiSongs and Background Score: Anu Malik 10,000/-Citation: For a score that blends with the story and heightens its narrative. A great effort has been made to ensure that the compositions have all the ingredients of the music of the soul.Best LyricsMazhaMalayalamYusufali Kechery 10,000/- EachCitation: For depicting the right mix of the ethos of our land in an invocation to lord Krishna.RefugeeHindiJaved AkhtarCitation: For his inimitable style, speaks of transcending borders and countries, with beautifully written words for love and compassion.Best ChoreographyKochu Kochu SanthoshangalMalayalamG. Kala 10,000/-Citation: For the classical dance number skilfully composed, creating the symbiotic dance in keeping with our rich traditions and heritage.Special Jury AwardDekhaBengaliSoumitra Chatterjee (Actor) 25,000/-Citation: For his realistic portrayal of the scion of a fading aristocracy who has lost his eyesight. Soumitra with great subtlety takes us through myriad evoking situations of his life, past and present with great sensitivity.
Regional Awards
The award is given to best film in the regional languages in India.