K. Balachander awarded with the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year – 2010 for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.
The President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil also presented the 58th National Film Awards to other artists.
Tamil actor Dhanush and Malyalam actor Salim Kumar have shared the award for best actor. Marathi actress Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar and Tamil film actress Povallal have been selected for best actress award. Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut film of a Director has been given to Marathi film ‘Babu Band Baza’ which was directed by Rajesh Pinjani. Noted director Gautam Ghosh’s Bengali Film ‘Moner Maanush’ won the Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on National Integration.
Malayalam Film ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ has bagged Swarana Kamal in the category of Best Feature Film while Hindi Film ‘Do Dooni Char’ has received the award for Best Hindi Film category. Hindi film ‘Dabbang’ has won the award for best popular film while Ishqia has picked up best audiography and music direction. Singer Rekha Bhardwaj won the best female playback singer award in the film Ishquiya.
Four child artists have also won the national awards this time for various Films. In her address to the gathering after presenting the awards, the President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil strongly advocated for using the medium to foster greater bonds of national integration communal amity. She asserted that Indian cinema has found market in large number of countries and with this India has emerged as soft power engaged in projecting the nation world wide.
She said the awards received by the young artists will further inspire and motivate them to further their talents in the medium.
Speaking on the occasion, the Information and Broadcasting Minister Mrs. Ambika Soni said that film heritage mission is being set up with an outlay of 660 crore rupees. She said both the Film Institutes in Kolkata and Pune are being upgraded as centre of excellence to cater to the needs of the film industry.
The function was attended by prominent film stars, critics, directors and producers besides Members of Parliament and other dignitaries.