TheNational Film Award for Best Feature Film is one of the categories in theNational Film Awards presented annually by theNational Film Development Corporation of India, the organisation set up byMinistry of Information and Broadcasting in India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with theGolden Lotus (Swarna Kamal). The award is announced for films produced in a year across the country, in all Indian languages. As of 2024[update], the award comprises aSwarna Kamal, a certificate, and a cash prize of₹3,00,000 and is presented to theproducer and thedirector of the film.
The National Film Awards were established in 1954 to "encourage production of the films of a high aesthetic and technical standard and educational and culture value" and also planned to include awards for regional films.[1] The awards were instituted as "State Awards for Films" but were renamed to "National Film Awards" at the15th National Film Awards in 1967.[2] As of 2024[update], the award is one of sixSwarna Kamal awards presented for the feature films. The award-winning film is included at the annualInternational Film Festival of India. Only the films made in any Indian language and silent films which are either shot on 35 mm, in a wider gauge, or digital format but released on a film or Video/Digital format and certified by theCentral Board of Film Certification as a feature film or featurette are made eligible for the award.[3]
From 1953 till 1956,[1][8] the director of the film was awarded with the Gold medal which was later changed in 1957 to a cash prize of₹ 5,000.[6] From 1967 till 1973,[2][9] a plaque was also awarded to the director and cash prize was revised to₹ 10,000 in 1970.[4] At the22nd National Film Awards (1974),[10] the award for the director was changed toRajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) and a cash prize of₹ 15,000 which was later revised to₹ 20,000 at the25th National Film Awards (1977).[11] Since28th National Film Awards (1980),[5] the director is awarded with theSwarna Kamal and a cash prize of₹ 25,000 which was later revised to₹50,000 at the 28th National Film Awards (1980),[5]₹2,50,000 at the 54th National Film Awards (2006),[7] and₹3,00,000 at the 70th National Film Awards (2022).[12]
^abc"15th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2,9.Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved21 September 2011.
^abc"18th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2.Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved26 September 2011.
^abc"5th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2,4.Archived(PDF) from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved2 September 2011.
^abc"54th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 8–9.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved24 March 2012.
^ab"4th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2.Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved2 September 2011.
^abc"21st National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2,32.Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved29 September 2011.
^ab"25th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2,44.Archived(PDF) from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved4 October 2011.
^"13th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 1,6.Archived(PDF) from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved15 September 2011.
^"16th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2.Archived(PDF) from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved22 September 2011.
^"17th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 2,6.Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved26 September 2011.
^"29th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 4.Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved4 October 2011.
^"30th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 6.Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved4 October 2011.
^"31st National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 6.Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved9 December 2011.
^"32nd National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved6 January 2012.
^"33rd National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 8–9.Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved7 January 2012.
^"34th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 10–11.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved7 January 2012.
^"35th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 12–13.Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved9 January 2012.
^"36th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 12–13.Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved9 January 2012.
^"37th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 12–13.Archived(PDF) from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved29 January 2012.
^"38th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 14–15.Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved9 January 2012.
^"39th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 14–15.Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved27 February 2012.
^"40th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 14–15.Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved2 March 2012.
^"41st National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 12–13.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved3 March 2012.
^"42nd National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 6–7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved5 March 2012.
^"43rd National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 6–7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved6 March 2012.
^"44th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 6–7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved9 January 2012.
^"45th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 6–7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved11 March 2012.
^"46th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 6–7.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved12 March 2012.
^"48th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 22–23.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved13 March 2012.
^"49th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 18–19.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved14 March 2012.
^"50th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 18–19.Archived(PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved14 March 2012.
^"51st National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 10–11.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved15 March 2012.
^"52nd National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 10–11.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved28 January 2012.
^"53rd National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 10–11.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved19 March 2012.
^"55th National Film Awards"(PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 14–15.Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved26 March 2012.
^"62nd National Film Awards"(PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. 24 March 2015.Archived(PDF) from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved24 March 2015.
^"63rd National Film Awards"(PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. 28 March 2016.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 October 2016. Retrieved28 March 2016.