National Film Award for Best Biographical Film

Film award in India

National Film Award for Best Biographical Film

National award for contributions to short film
Sponsored by| Directorate of Film Festivals
Reward(s)|

* Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus)
* ₹50,000

First award| 1984
Final award| 2020
Most recent winner| Pabung Syam
Highlights
Total awarded| 38
First winner| Padmashri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair

The National Film Award for Best Biographical Film was one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It was one of several awards presented for non-feature films and awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus).

The award was instituted in 1984, at 32nd National Film Awards and awarded annually for the short films produced in the year across the country, in all Indian languages. At the 69th National Film Awards, the award is clubbed with National Film Award for Best Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film, with the new category named as Best Biographical / Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film.[1]

## Winners

[edit]

Award includes 'Rajat Kamal' (Silver Lotus) and cash prize. Following are the award winners over the years:

Awards legends

| Indicates a joint award for the year
List of films, showing the year, language(s), producer(s) and director(s)

Year  | Film(s)  | Language(s)  | Producer(s)  | Director(s)  | Refs.
1984
(32nd) | Padmashri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair | Malayalam | James Paul  | Matthew Paul  | [2]
1985
(33rd) | Satyajit Ray | English  | Films Division | Shyam Benegal | [3]
The Seer Who Walks Alone | English  | G. Aravindan | G. Aravindan
1986
(34th) | Sister Alphonsa of Bharananganam | English  |  • Dejo Kappen
• George Sebastian  | Rajiv Vijay Raghavan | [4]
Kamala Nehru | English  | Uma Shankar  | Ashish Mukherjee
1987
(35th) | Basheer: The Man | English  | Kannakulam Abdulla  | M. R. Rahman  | [5]
1988
(36th) | No Award  | [6]
1989
(37th) | C. V. Raman: The Scientist and His Legacy | English  | N. K. Saigal  | Nandan Kudhyadi  | [7]
1990
(38th) | Baba | English  | Mediart Film Pvt. Ltd  | Rajiv Mehrotra | [8]
1991
(39th) | Bhavantarana | Oriya | Bombay Cinematograph  | Kumar Shahani | [9]
Kabitar Ananta Jatrapathe | Bengali | Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal | Sanat Kumar Dasgupta
1992
(40th) | Pandit Bhimsen Joshi | Hindi  | Gulzar for Films Division  | Gulzar | [10]
1993
(41st) | Colors of Absence | English  |  • Shanta Gokhale
• Arun Khopkar  | Arun Khopkar  | [11]
1994
(42nd) | No Award  | [12]
1995
(43rd) | A Living Legend | English  | Aurora Film Corporation  | Satadru Chaki  | [13]
1996
(44th) | Hastir Kanya | Assamese | Digbijay Medhi  | Prabin Hazarika  | [14]
1997
(45th) | Mounam Sowmanasyam | Malayalam  | T. Ravindranath  | Ravindran  | [15]
1998
(46th) | Premji: Ithihasathinte Sparsam | Malayalam  | Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi | M. R. Rajan  | [16]
Unarvinte Kalam: M.R.B.
1999
(47th) | Nottam | Malayalam  | Bina Narayan  | M. R. Rajan  | [17]
Mallika Sarabhai | English  | Films Division  | Aruna Raje Patil
2000
(48th) | Devanarthakan
(The Divine Dancer) | Malayalam  | A. V. Ali Koya for Kerala State Chalachitra Academy | Sudish Gopalakrishnan  | [18]
2001
(49th) | Teejan Bai | Hindi  | Kuldeep Sinha for Films Division  | V. Packirisamy  | [19]
2002
(50th) | Meeting Manjit | English  | Ina Puri  | Buddhadeb Dasgupta | [20]
2003
(51st) | No Award  | [21]
2004
(52nd) | It's Prabhat | Marathi | A. V. Damle  | Madhavi Vaidya  | [22]
2005
(53rd) | Hans Akela: Kumar Gandharva†  | Hindi  | Films Division  | Jabbar Patel | [23]
2006
(54th) | Minukku | Malayalam  |  • Devadasan Keezhpatt
• Bina Narayanan  | M. R. Rajan  | [24]
Guru Laimayum Thambalngoubi Devi | Manipuri | Aribam Syam Sharma | Aribam Syam Sharma
2007
(55th) | Antardhwani†  | Hindi  | Films Division  | Jabbar Patel | [25]
2008
(56th) | The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi: A Reconstruction | English  | Films Division  | R. Krishna Mohan  | [26]
2009
(57th) | Pancham Unmixed |  • Bengali
• Hindi
• English  | Brahmanand S Siingh | Brahmanand S Siingh | [27]
2010
(58th) | Nilamadhaba | English  | Films Division  | Dilip Patnaik  | [28]
2011
(59th) | Vishnupant Damle: Bolpatancha Mook Nayak†  | Marathi  | Anil Anant Damle  | Virendra Valsangkar  | [29]
2012
(60th) | Celluloid Man†  |  • English
• Hindi
• Kannada
• Bengali  | Shivendra Singh Dungarpur | Shivendra Singh Dungarpur | [30]
2013
(61st) | The Last Adieu†  | English  | Films Division  | Shabnam Sukhdev  | [31]
2014
(62nd) | Amar Katha: Story of Binodini†  | Bengali  | Films Division  | Tuhinabha Majumder  | [32]
2015
(63rd) | Life in Metaphors: A Portrait of Girish Kasaravalli†  |  • English
• Kannada  | Reelism Film  | O. P. Shrivastava  | [33]
2016
(64th) | Zikr Us Parivaksha: Begum Akhtar†  | English  | Sangeet Natak Akademi | Nirmal Chander  | [34]
2017
(65th) | Naachi se Baanchi†  |  | Films Division of India | Biju Toppo  |
Sword of Liberty†  |  | R. C. Suresh  | Shiny Benjamin
2018
(66th) | No Award  | [35]
2019
(67th) | Elephants Do Remember†  | English  | Films Division of India | Swati Pandey, Viplove Rai Bhatia & Manohar Singh Bisht  | [36]
2020
(68th) | Pabung Syam†  | Manipuri | Films Division of India | Haobam Paban Kumar | [37]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Under Secretary to the Government of India (14 December 2023). "Report on Rationalization of Awards Conferred by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting | Ministry of Information and Broadcasting | Government of India". Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
2. ^ "32nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
3. ^ "33rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
4. ^ "34th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
5. ^ "35th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
6. ^ "36th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
7. ^ "37th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
8. ^ "38th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
9. ^ "39th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
10. ^ "40th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
11. ^ "41st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
12. ^ "42nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
13. ^ "43rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
14. ^ "44th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
15. ^ "45th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
16. ^ "46th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
17. ^ "47th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
18. ^ "48th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
19. ^ "49th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
20. ^ "50th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
21. ^ "51st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
22. ^ "52nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
23. ^ "53rd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
24. ^ "54th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
25. ^ "55th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
26. ^ "56th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
27. ^ "57th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
28. ^ "58th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
29. ^ "59th National Film Awards for the Year 2011 Announced". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
30. ^ "60th National Film Awards Announced" (PDF) (Press release). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
31. ^ "61st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
32. ^ "62nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
33. ^ "63rd National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
34. ^ "64th National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
35. ^ "66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
36. ^ "67th National Film Awards announced". Press Information Bureau. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
37. ^ "68th National Film Awards announced". Press Information Bureau. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Page for Directorate of Film Festivals, India
* National Film Awards Archives

* v
* t
* e

National Film Awards

* Directorate of Film Festivals
* Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
* Cinema of India

Lifetime Achievement|

* Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Feature Films|

| Golden Lotus Awards|

* Feature Film
* Direction
* Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
* Children's Film
* Debut Film of a Director
* Film in AVGC (Animator and Producer & Director)

|

Silver Lotus Awards|

* Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values
* Film in AVGC (VFX Supervisor)
* Actor in a Leading Role
* Actress in a Leading Role
* Actor in a Supporting Role
* Actress in a Supporting Role
* Child Artist
* Music Direction
* Male Playback Singer
* Female Playback Singer
* Lyrics
* Production Design
* Sound Design
* Choreography
* Cinematography
* Costume Design
* Editing
* Make-up
* Screenplay
* Stunt Choreography
* Special Mention

Silver Lotus Awards
(Regional)|

Languages specified in the Eighth schedule of the Constitution of India:

* Assamese
* Bengali
* Bodo
* Dogri
* Gujarati
* Hindi
* Kannada
* Kashmiri
* Konkani
* Malayalam
* Manipuri
* Marathi
* Maithili
* Odia
* Punjabi
* Sanskrit
* Tamil
* Telugu
* Urdu

Languages other than those specified in the Eighth schedule of the Constitution:

* Bhojpuri
* Garo
* Haryanvi
* Jasari
* Khasi
* Kodava
* Kokborok
* Ladakhi
* Mishing
* Mizo
* Monpa
* Pangchenpa
* Rabha
* Sherdukpen
* Tiwa
* Tulu
* Wancho

Discontinued Awards|

* Second Best Feature Film
* Third Best Feature Film
* Story
* Film Based on High Literary Work
* Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation
* Film on Family Welfare
* Film on National Integration
* Film on Other Social Issues
* Special Jury Award
* Animated Film
* Special Effects

Non-Feature Films|

| Golden Lotus Awards|

* Non-Feature Film
* Direction
* Debut Film of a Director

|

Silver Lotus Awards|

* Non Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values
* Documentary
* Arts/Cultural Film
* Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film
* Animation Film
* Short Film
* Script
* Sound Design
* Cinematography
* Editing
* Music Direction
* Narration / Voice Over
* Special Mention

Discontinued Awards|

* Experimental Film
* Industrial Film
* Agriculture Film
* Anthropological/Ethnographic Film
* Biographical Film
* Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film
* Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film
* Exploration/Adventure Film
* Film on Family Welfare
* Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film
* Investigative Film
* Promotional Film
* Scientific Film
* Film on Social Issues
* Filmstrip
* News Review
* Newsreel Cameraman
* Special Jury Award

Writing on Cinema|

| Golden Lotus Awards|

* Book on Cinema
* Film Critic

|

Special Awards|

* Special Mention (Book on Cinema)
* Special Mention (Film Critic)

Awards by year|

| 1953–1960|

* 1953 (1st)
* 1954 (2nd)
* 1955 (3rd)
* 1956 (4th)
* 1957 (5th)
* 1958 (6th)
* 1959 (7th)
* 1960 (8th)

|

1961–1980|

* 1961 (9th)
* 1962 (10th)
* 1963 (11th)
* 1964 (12th)
* 1965 (13th)
* 1966 (14th)
* 1967 (15th)
* 1968 (16th)
* 1969 (17th)
* 1970 (18th)
* 1971 (19th)
* 1972 (20th)
* 1973 (21st)
* 1974 (22nd)
* 1975 (23rd)
* 1976 (24th)
* 1977 (25th)
* 1978 (26th)
* 1979 (27th)
* 1980 (28th)

1981–2000|

* 1981 (29th)
* 1982 (30th)
* 1983 (31st)
* 1984 (32nd)
* 1985 (33rd)
* 1986 (34th)
* 1987 (35th)
* 1988 (36th)
* 1989 (37th)
* 1990 (38th)
* 1991 (39th)
* 1992 (40th)
* 1993 (41st)
* 1994 (42nd)
* 1995 (43rd)
* 1996 (44th)
* 1997 (45th)
* 1998 (46th)
* 1999 (47th)
* 2000 (48th)

2001–2020|

* 2001 (49th)
* 2002 (50th)
* 2003 (51st)
* 2004 (52nd)
* 2005 (53rd)
* 2006 (54th)
* 2007 (55th)
* 2008 (56th)
* 2009 (57th)
* 2010 (58th)
* 2011 (59th)
* 2012 (60th)
* 2013 (61st)
* 2014 (62nd)
* 2015 (63rd)
* 2016 (64th)
* 2017 (65th)
* 2018 (66th)
* 2019 (67th)
* 2020 (68th)

2021–present|

* 2021 (69th)
* 2022 (70th)
* 2023 (71st)

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