The late Sridevi was on Friday named the Best Actress for her role as a vengeful mother in the Hindi film "Mom". Her husband and two daughters are overjoyed and said the legacy of the "super actor" will live on.
In the movie, directed by Ravi Udyawar, Sridevi played a mother who sets out to avenge her step-daughter, essayed by Pakistani actress Sajal Ali.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, jury chairperson for the 65th National Film Awards, told the media that his "Mr. India" actress Sridevi wasn't chosen for the honour because of his relationship with her but due to her contribution to "Mom".
Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Jahnvi and Khushi expressed their happiness in a joint statement.
— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) April 13, 2018
"We are overjoyed to know that the jury has conferred the Best Actor Award to Sridevi for her performance in 'Mom'. It's a very special moment for all of us," they said.
"She was always a perfectionist and it showed in all the 300 plus films she did. She was not just a super actor, but a super wife and a super mother.
"It's time to celebrate her life and her achievements. She is not with us today but her legacy will always live on," the statement read.
Sridevi died in February in a Dubai hotel, leaving the film industry, her family and legions of fans in a state of shock.
Her role in "Mom" was close to Sridevi's heart.
In an interview to IANS, Sridevi had said she was proud to be a part of a film which brought about social consciousness.
She was especially happy that the movie had made parents more conscious about sending their children to parties at farmhouses and made several girls become more careful about the car they sit in to return home late at night.
"People reacted very well and I felt good about it," she had said.
VINOD KHANNA CONFERRED DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD POSTHUMOUSLY
Actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna, who died last year, has been conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award -- the highest cinema honour in India -- posthumously.
It was a collective decision of the 65th National Film Awards jury, chaired by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, to confer the award on Vinod Khanna, who starred in some of the biggest Bollywood hits like "Mere Apne", "Insaaf" "Parvarish" "Muqaddar Ka Sikandar", "Qurbani", "Dayavaan", "Mera Gaon Mera Desh", "Chandni", "The Burning Train" and "Amar, Akbar, Anthony".
Kapur told the media here on Friday that he wishes he had worked with Vinod Khanna at least once.
Vinod Khanna died in Mumbai on April 27 last year after prolonged illness. He was 70.
The actor was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the Lok Sabha from Punjab's Gurdaspur constituency.
REGIONAL CINEMA ECLIPSES BOLLYWOOD AT 65TH NATIONAL FILM AWARDS
Lakshwadweep to Ladakh -- the 65th National Film Award winners' list encompassed cinematic gems from the length and breadth of India, with an Assamese film "Village Rockstars" walking away with the Best Feature Film title after nearly three decades.
The coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award -- the country's highest cinema honour -- was reserved for late actor Vinod Khanna, known for films like "Muqaddar Ka Sikandar", "The Burning Train" and "Amar, Akbar, Anthony".
Even the late Sridevi was given a posthumous Best Actress honour for her intense role as a mother in her last released film "Mom".
"Sridevi was not given the honour because of my relationship with her, but because of her contribution in 'Mom'," jury chairperson Shekhar Kapur, who worked with her in "Mr. India", told the media.
The winners' list has a good mix of Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali and Assamese films.
"Who knows where is Jasari spoken? Has anyone heard of Tulu?" Kapur said as he announced the winners on Friday.
"This is national integration," he stressed.
Movies in the languages other than those specified in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution in the feature film categories were also awarded, the jury pointed out. The award for the Best Jasari Film was given to "Sinjar", Best Tulu Film to "Paddayi" and the Best Ladakhi Film to "Walking With The Wind", which won two other honours.
Only "Newton" emerged as the big winner out of Hindi cinema as it bagged the Best Hindi Film award and a Special Mention for actor Pankaj Tripathi.
While Pankaj was emotional about winning an award in a race he never knew he was in, "Newton" director Amit V Masurkar hoped the award and the film's commercial success creates a bigger space for relevant political cinema.
Divya Dutta bagged the Best Supporting Actress for "Irada", which was named Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation.
Divya said it is such achievements that make an actor feel alive again. Ganesh Acharya scored the Best Choreography Award for "Gori tu latth maar" from "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha".
Oscar winning composer A.R. Rahman won two honours -- music direction award for Tamil film "Kaatru Veliyidai" and acing background music for "Mom".
"Regional cinema is giving Hindi cinema a run for its money," Kapur, who led a 10-member jury for this year's National Film Awards, told IANS.
"The standard of performances in some of the regional films is completely stunning. Hindi films cannot compete with them, not in the state they are... And I know why... Our Hindi films try too hard to become everything. These are rooted and that's why they are able to make it," Kapur added.
Rima Das' "Village Rockstars", about the spirit of poor but fun-loving children, also won the Best Editing honour for the filmmaker. The movie, apart from being named Best Feature Film, got Best Child Artist honour for Bhanita Das and Best Location Sound Recordist Award for Mallika Das.
Utpal Borpujari, whose debut feature film "Ishu" won the Best Assamese Film award, said "Village Rockstars" has given the Assamese film community a reason to rejoice.
S.S. Rajamouli's magnum opus "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, apart from bagging the Best Special Effects honour.
Riddhi Sen won the Best Actor for Bengali film "Nagarkirtan", which has even got Best Costume Designer, Best Make-Up Artist and a Special Jury Award.
The Best Director title was bagged by Jayaraj for "Bhayanakam", which also won Best Screenplay (Adapted) and Best Cinematography.
In the music category, veteran K.J. Yesudas and Shashaa Tirupati won the best playback singers, while J.M. Prahalad won in the best lyrics category for the song "Muthuratna".
The Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director went to "Sinjar", a movie from Lakshwadweep, which was also named the Best Jasari Film.
Marathi movie "Dhappa" was awarded the Nargis Dutt Award For Best Feature Film On National Integration, while Malayalam movie "Aaalorukkam", directed by V.C. Abhilash was awarded the Best Film on Social Issues.
Other regional films that won include "Kachcha Limboo" (Marathi), "Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum" (Malayalam), "Hebbettu Ramakka" (Kannada), "Hello Arsi" (Oriya), "To Let" (Tamil), "Ghazi" (Telugu), "Mayurakshi" (Bengali) and "Dhh" (Gujarati).
The Best Children's Film was given to Marathi movie "Mhorkya", and Best Animation honour is shared by "The Fish Curry" and "The Basket".
