The 69th National Film Awards, organised by the National Film Development Corporation of India, are set to celebrate the outstanding achievements in Indian cinema for the year 2021. Originally scheduled for May 3, 2022, the event was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The official winners were unveiled on August 24, 2023, in a press conference held by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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History of National Film Awards-
The National Film Awards began in 1954 under the name “State Awards”. Initially, they only recognised the best films in different regional languages.
In 1967, they began presenting awards to actors and technicians who were involved in making films.
Most film-friendly state-
Madhya Pradesh won the most film-friendly state award while Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh got a special mention.
Winners list-
| Category | Winner |
| Best Feature Film | Rocketry |
| Best Actor | Allu Arjun for Pushpa |
| Best Actress | Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon for Mimi |
| Best Director | Nikhil Mahajan for Godavari |
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | RRR |
| Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National Integration | The Kashmir Files |
| Best Supporting Actor | Pankaj Tripathi for Mimi |
| Best Supporting Actress | Pallavi Joshi for The Kashmir Files |
| Best Screenplay (Original) | Shahi Kabir for Nayattu |
| Best Screenplay (Adapted) | Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Utkarshini Vashishtha for Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| Best Child Artist | Bhavin Rabari for Chhello Show |
| Best Dialogue Writer | Utkarshini Vashishtha & Prakash Kapadia for Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| Best Music Director (Songs) | Devi Sri Prasad for Pushpa |
| Best Music Direction (Background Music) | MM Keeravaani for RRR |
| Best Male Playback Singer | Kaala Bhairava for RRR |
| Best Female Playback Singer | Shreya Ghoshal for Iravin Nizhal |
| Best Lyrics | Chandrabose for ‘Dham Dham Dham’ song in ‘Konda Polam’ |
| Best Hindi Film | Sardar Udham |
| Best Odia Film | Pratikshya |
| Best Meiteilon Film | Eikhoigi Yum |
| Best Assamese Film | Anur |
| Best Bengali Film | Kalkokkho |
| Best Marathi Film | Ekda Kaay Zala |
| Best Mishing Film | Boomba Ride |
| Best Maithili Film | Samanantar |
| Best Telugu Film | Uppena |
| Best Tamil Film | Kadaisi Vivasayi |
| Best Gujarati Film | Chhello Show |
| Best Malayalam Film | Home |
| Best Kannada Film | 777 Charlie |
| Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director | Meppadiyan, Vishnu Mohan |
| Best Film on Social Issues | Anunaad – The Resonance |
| Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation | Aavasavyuham |
| Best Children’s Film | Gandhi and Co |
| Best Audiography (Location Sound Recordist) | Arun Asok & Sonu K P for Chavittu |
| Best Audiography (Sound Designer) | Aneesh Basu for Jhilli |
| Best Audiography (Re-recordist of the final mixed track) | Sinoy Joseph for Sardar Udham |
| Best Cinematography | Avik Mukhopadhayay for Sardar Udham |
| Best Choreography | Prem Rakshith for RRR |
| Best Costume Designer | Veera Kapur Ee for Sardar Udham |
| Best Special Effects | Srinivas Mohan for RRR |
| Best Production Design | Dmitrii Malich and Mansi Dhruv Mehta for Sardar Udham |
| Best Editing | Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| Best Makeup | Preetisheel Singh for Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| Best Stunt Choreography | King Soloman for RRR |
| Special Jury Award | Shershaah (Vishnuvardhan) |
| Best Non-feature film | Ek Tha Gaon |
| Best Direction (Non-feature film) | Bakul Matiyani for Smile Please |
| Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director | Paanchika, Ankit Kothari |
| Best Anthropological Film | Fire on Edge |
| Best Biographical Film | Rukhu Matir Dukhu Majhi and Beyond Blast |
| Best Arts Films | T.N. Krishnan Bow Strings to Divine |
| Best Science & Technology Films | Ethos of Darkness |
| Best Promotional Film | Endangered Heritage ‘Warli Art’ |
| Best Environment Film (Non-feature film) | Munnam Valavu |
| Best Film on Social Issues (Non-feature film) | Mithu Di and Three Two One |
| Best Investigative Film | Looking For Challan |
| Best Exploration Film | Ayushman |
| Best Educational Film | Sirpigalin Sirpangal |
| Best Short Fiction Film | Dal Bhat |
| Best Animation Film | Kandittundu |
| Best Film on Family Values | Chand Saanse |
| Best Cinematography (Non-feature film) | Bittu Rawat for Pataal |
| Best Audiography (Re-recordist of the final mixed track) (Non-feature film) | Unni krishnan for Ek Tha Gaon |
| Best Production Sound Recordist (Location/Sync Sound) (Non-feature film) | Suruchi Sharma for Meen Raag |
| Best Editing (Non-feature film) | Abhro Banerjee for If Memory Serves Me Right |
| Special Mention | 1. Late Shri Nallandi for Kadaisi Vivasayi 2. Aranya Gupta & Bithan Biswas for Jhilli 3. Indrans for Home 4. Jahanara Begum for Anur |
| Best Music Direction (Non-feature film) | Ishaan Divecha for Succelent |
| Best Narration/Voice Over (Non-feature film) | Kulada Kumar Bhattacharjee for Hathibondhu |
| Special Mention (Non-feature film) | 1. Aniruddha Jatkar for Baale Bangara 2. Srikanth Deva for Karuvarai 3. Sweta Kumar Das for The Healing Touch 4. Ram Kamal Mukherjee for Ek Duaa |
| Special Jury Award (Non-feature film) | Shekhar Bapu Rankhambe for Rekha |
| Best Book on Cinema | Music by Laxmikant Pyarelal: The Incredibly Melodious Journey by Rajiv Vijayakar |
| Best Film Critic | Purushothama Charyulu |
| Best Film Critic (Special Mention) | Subramanya Bandoor |