The winners of the 70th National Film Awards, honouring the best films and cinematic achievements of the year 2022, were announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) via a presser in New Delhi on Friday. Mani Ratnam directed Ponniyin Selvan: I won big among Tamil movies, taking home four big awards for Best Tamil film, Best background score (AR Rahman), Best sound design (Anand Krishnamoorthi), and Best cinematography (Ravi Varman). 

Dhanush starrer Thiruchirambalam was another Tamil film which made a splash, winning two big awards for Best female actor in a leading role (Nithya Menen), and Best choreography for the song Megham Karukatha (Jani master, Sathish Krishnan). The 2024 edition is the 7th National Film Award win for composer AR Rahman.

Here is the full list of winners at the 70th National Film Awards:

Feature Categories

Best Feature Film – Aattam (Malayalam)
Best Actor – Rishab Shetty, Kantara (Kannada)
Best Actress – Nithya Menen, Thiruchitrabalam (Tamil) and Manasi Parekh, Kutch Express (Gujarati)
Best Director – Sooraj Barjatya, Uunchai (Hindi)
Best Supporting Actress – Neena Gupta, Uunchai (Hindi)
Best Supporting Actor – Pawan Malhotra, Fouja (Haryanvi)
Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Kantara (Kannada)
Best Debut – Fouja (Haryanvi), Pramod Kumar 

Best Telugu Film – Karthikeya 2
Best Tamil Film – Ponniyin Selvan Part 1
Best Punjabi Film – Baaghi Di Dhee
Best Odia Film – Daman
Best Malayalam Film – Saudi Velakka CC.225/2009
Best Marathi Film – Vaalvi
Best Kannada Film – KGF: Chapter 2
Best Hindi Film – Gulmohar
Best Tiwa Film – Sikaisal
Best Bengali Film – Kaberi Antardhan
Best Assamese Film – Emuthi Puthi

Special Mentions – Manoj Bajpayee in Gulmohar, and Sanjoy Salil Chowdhury for Kadhikan

Best Action Direction – KGF: Chapter 2
Best Choreography – Tiruchitrabalam
Best Lyrics – Fouja
Best Music Director – Pritam (Songs), AR Rahman (Background Score)
Best Makeup – Aparajito
Best Costumes – Kutch Express
Best Production Design – Aparajito
Best Editing – Aattam
Best Sound Design – Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1
Best Screenplay – Aattam
Best Dialogues – Gulmohar
Best Cinematography – Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1
Best Female Playback – Saudi Velakka, Bombay Jayashri
Best Female Playback – Brahmastra, Arijit Singh
Best Child Artist – Sreepath in Mallikappuram
Best Film in AVGC – Brahmastra
Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values – Kutch Express

Film Writing

Best Critic – Deepak Dua
Best Book on Cinema – Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography

Non-feature Categories

Best Non-Feature Film – Ayena
Best Debut Film – Madhyantara
Best Biographical/Historical/Compilation Film – Aanakhi Ek Mohenjo Daro
Best Arts/Culture Film – Ranga Vibhoga/Varsa
Best Script – Mono No Aware
Best Narrator – Murmurs of the Jungle
Best Music Direction – Fursat
Best Editing – Madhyantara
Best Sound Design – Yaan
Best Cinematography – Mono No Aware
Best Direction – From the Shadow
Best Short Film – Xunyota
Best Animated Film – The Coconut Tree
Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values – On the Brink Season 2 – Gharial
Best Documentary – Murmurs of the Jungle