Seven National Film Awards for Northeast films

The 60th National Film Awards were announced on Monday 10th March, 2014 with 38 films in 14 languages honoured in the feature film categories. It was a big day for the northeast film industry as movies and documentaries from the region won seven awards, including six Rajat Kamals and a Special Mention award.

Films in three northeastern languages – Assamese, Manipuri and Mising - won the seven awards. Manipuri film director Aribam Syam Sharma won an award each in the feature and non-feature categories, a rare feat for a filmmaker. Sharma had won in both the categories in the 1991 National Film Awards as well.

Sharma’s feature film ‘Leipaklei’ won a Rajat Kamal for the best Manipuri regional film. His ‘Manipuri Pony’ won in the best exploration and adventure film category (including sports) in the non-feature film section for which he is again awarded a Rajat Kamal for tracing and presenting the historical significance of the polo sport, which had its origins in Manipur and is played all over the world.

Renowned Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Baruah’s ‘Baandhon’, based on the impact of the 26/11 attacks on an elderly couple, won the best Assamese regional film. He was awarded the Rajat Kamal. Bishnu Khargoria, a noted Assamese thespian, who acted in ‘Bandhoon’, got the Jury Special Certificate Award.

‘Ko:Yad’, a Mising film based on the loneliness of human life produced and directed by Manju Borah won the best feature film in the non-Eighth Schedule language category. Sudheer Palsane and Prasad Film Laboratory, Chennai won the award for the best cinematography.

The award for the best narrative voiceover was bagged by Moni Bordoloi for ‘Suranjana Deepali’, a non-feature film.