In a recent announcement on Tuesday (February 13), the 70th National Film Awards for 2022 revealed a notable change in names. The renowned Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film has undergone a transformation and will now be known as the Best Debut Film of a Director. The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration has been renamed the Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values, combining categories related to social issues and environmental conservation. This shift in nomenclature signals a withdrawal from the use of names like Indira Gandhi and late actress Nargis Dutt in the prestigious ceremony.
Throughout a career that extended over three decades, Nargis graced the silver screen in a multitude of both commercially successful and critically acclaimed films. Often sharing the screen with actor Raj Kapoor, her noteworthy performances illuminated classics like Andaz, Barsaat, Awaara, Shri 420, and the iconic Mother India, engraving her name in the records of cinematic brilliance.
Furthermore, to preserve Nargis Dutt’s profound impact on Hindi cinema, the National Film Awards introduced the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. This recognition showcased her dedication to promoting unity through the medium of film.
Delving into the history of these esteemed awards, we found that the journey began in 1965 at the 13th National Film Awards, where the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film was established in honour of the late actress. This prestigious honour, given annually to outstanding films produced in various Indian languages, was accompanied by a cash prize and the revered Rajat Kamal (silver lotus) award.
In 1980, at the 28th National Film Awards, the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film made its debut, offering emerging talents in filmmaking the esteemed Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamal) and a cash prize of Rs 1.25 lakh. The legacy of this award continued until its most recent recipient, Unni Mukundan’s Malayalam film “Meppadiyan,” in 2021, marking another milestone in the recognition of promising filmmakers’ contributions to Indian cinema.
