National Film Awards 2017: Akshay Kumar Receives His Best Actor Prize

New Delhi: Akshay Kumar received his National Award for Best Actor from President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday. The ceremony was held in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Other awardees included Dangal star Zaira Wasim who won Best Supporting Actress, Mohanlal who received the Jury Award, and Sonam Kapoor who was given a Special Mention for her work in Neerja. Neerja, the story of slain Pan Am flight stewardess Neerja Bhanot, won the National Award for Best Hindi Film. The Marathi language Kasav won Best Feature Film and Ventilator, produced by Priyanka Chopra, won three awards including Best Director for Rajesh Mapuskar. Former Indian Army officer and Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was also presenting at the award ceremony.

Akshay, whose first National Award this is, tweeted soon after receiving his prize to say:
 

No words can do justice to the joy I feel at this moment...sharing with you all my first ever #NationalFilmAward!Thank you for the love pic.twitter.com/DdK1FvuK4i

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 3, 2017

The complete list of awardees is below. South veteran K Vishwanath received the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for his contribution to cinema.

Here are pictures from the National Award ceremony:
 Akshay Kumar was accompanied to the National Awards by wife Twinkle Khanna and son Aarav. Ahead of the ceremony, the 49-year-old actor posted this photo:
 

An important day in my life with the most important people in the world to me, my family #NationalFilmAwards pic.twitter.com/nM2RdhnunG

- Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 3, 2017

Akshay Kumar's win for Best Actor - his first National Award - has been clouded by controversy. The merits of his performance in Rustom, the film for which he was awarded, versus those of Aamir Khan and Manoj Bajpayee in Dangal and Aligarh have been furiously debated. National Award jury chief Priyadarshan, who has directed Akshay in movies like Hera Pheri and Bhagam Bhag, has also been accused of favouritism.

Akshay's National Award has been defended by colleagues like filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Suniel Shetty, who co-starred in the Hera Pheri films. Akshay himself told news agencies some days ago, ""I've been hearing it for past 25 years, whenever someone wins there is some discussion around it. This is not new. Someone or the other always creates a controversy. 'He shouldn't have won, the other person should have.' It's okay. I've won this after 26 years, agar woh bhi aapka mann kare toh le lo (take it back if you feel like it)."

Here are all the winners of this year's National Awards:

SWARNA KAMAL

Best Feature Film: Kasav (Marathi)
Best Debut Film of A Director: Khalifa (Bengali)
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Sathamanam Bhavati (Telugu)
Best Children's Film: Dhanak (Hindi)
Best Direction: Rajesh Mapuskar For Ventilator

RAJAT KAMAL

Best Actor: Akshay Kumar for Rustom
Best Actress: Surabhi Lakshmi for Minnaminunge
Best Supporting Actor: Manoj Joshi forDashkriya
Best Supporting Actress: Zaira Wasim for Dangal
Best Child Artist: Manohara for Railway Children
Best Male Playback Singer: Sundara Iyer for Joker
Best Female Playback Singer: Emaan Chakraborty for Praktan
Best Cinematography: Tirru
Best Screenplay (Original): Syam Pushkaran for Maheshinte Prathikaaram
Best Screenplay (Adapted): Sanjay Krishnaji Patel for Dashakriya
Best Film on Other Social Issues: Pink
Best Film on Environment/Conservation/Preservation: The Tiger Who Crossed The Line
Best Editing: Rameshwar S. Bhagat for Ventilator
Best Art Direction: 24
Best Costume Design: Sachin
Best Music Direction (Songs): Bapu Padmanabha/Bapu Flute Allama
Best Lyrics: Vairamuthu for Dharma Durai song Vantha Entha Pakkam
Best Special Effects: Shivaay

REGIONAL AWARDS

Best Bengali Film: Bisarjan
Best Gujarati Film: Wrong Side Raju
Best Hindi Film: Neerja
Best Kannada Film: Reservation
Best Malayalam Film: Maheshinte Prathikaaram
Best Marathi Film: Dashakriya
Best Tamil Film: Joker
Best Telugu Film: Pelli Choopulu