68th National Film Awards: Sagar Puranik’s ‘Dollu’, Sanchari Vijay starrer ‘Taledanda’ bag top honors

The 68th National Film Awards were finally announced on Friday, July 22, to honor the best films and artists across the country. The 10-member jury panel headed by filmmaker Vipul Shah (along with cinematographers Dharam Gulati and G.S. Bhaskar, actor Sreelekha Mukherjee, and others) adjudged the winners from an entry list of over 300 feature films and 150 in the non-feature category competing for more 50 award categories this year. The films in the reckoning are the ones released in the year 2020 following the deferral of the award ceremony due to the pandemic.

As far as Kannada cinema is concerned, Sagar Puranik’s Dollu has won the award in the Best Kannada Film category at the 68th National Film Awards. A compelling take on the popular Karnataka dance form Dollu Kunithe, Dollu discusses the impact of urbanization on the folk arts: this is Sagar Puranik’s second film to win at the National Film Awards with his 2018 short film Mahaan Hutatma being awarded in the Special Mention (for a non-feature film) category.

In the same vein, Dollu has also won the National Film Award in the audiography department with Jobin Jayan adjudged winner in the Location Sound Recordist (only for sync sound films only) category. Dollu has been produced by popular Kannada filmmaker Pawan Wadeyar.

Exclusive! Dollu was to get a grand theatrical release, now it will get even bigger as a National Award winning film: Pavan Wadeyar 

On the other hand, Taledanda starring late actor Sanchari Vijay has won the award in the Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation category. Directed by Praveen Krupakar, Taledanda comes as a poignant take on the nature vs human conflict which follows an intellectually challenged protagonist’s struggles to protect the physical nature around him. The film premiered at the 2021 International Film Festival of India and other film festivals.

Veteran filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli’s documentary Nadada Navaneeta: Dr. P.T Venkatesh Kumar has been awarded the Best Arts and Culture film. This would be Kasaravalli’s 15th award at the National Film Awards.

Jeetige, starring Raj B. Shetty, Navin D. Padil, and others, has been awarded the Best Tulu Film at the 68th National Film Awards.