The 45th National Film Awards held in 1998 were a celebration of cinematic excellence in India. These awards recognized outstanding contributions to Indian cinema across various categories. From heart-touching narratives to breathtaking cinematography, the event showcased the best of Indian filmmaking talent.
About the Awards
The National Film Awards, presented annually by the Indian government, honor exceptional achievements in the Indian film industry. These awards are highly prestigious and are a testament to the talent and dedication of the Indian film fraternity.
Award Categories
Here is a list of some of the award categories and their respective winners of 45th National Film Awards:
Lifetime Achievement Award
| Name of Award | Awardee(s) | Awarded As | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Kavi Pradeep[3] | Lyricist | Swarna Kamal, ₹ 100,000 and a Shawl |
Best Feature Films
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film | Thaayi Saheba | Kannada | Producer: Jaimala<br>Director: Girish Kasaravalli | ₹ 50,000/- Each |
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Bhoothakkannadi | Malayalam | Producer: Nair Krishnakumar Unni<br>Director: A. K. Lohithadas | ₹ 25,000/- Each |
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Dil To Pagal Hai | Hindi | Producer: Yash Chopra<br>Director: Yash Chopra | ₹ 40,000/- Each |
| Best Children’s Film | Ramayanam | Telugu | Producer: M. S. Reddy<br>Director: Gunasekhar | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Best Direction | Kaliyattam | Malayalam | Jayaraj | ₹ 50,000/- |
Silver Lotus Award
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film on National Integration | Border | Hindi | Producer: J. P. Dutta<br>Director: J. P. Dutta | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Best Film on Family Welfare | Samaantharangal | Malayalam | Producer: Balachandra Menon<br>Director: Balachandra Menon | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Best Film on Other Social Issues | Dhanna | Hindi | Producer: Films Division<br>Director: Deepak Roy | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Best Film on Environment / Conservation / Preservation | Bhoomi Geetha | Kannada | Producer: R. Mahadev Gowda<br>Director: Kesari Harvoo | ₹ 30,000/- Each |
| Best Actor | Kaliyattam | Malayalam | Suresh Gopi | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Samaantharangal | Malayalam | Balachandra Menon | ||
| Best Actress | Dahan | Bengali | Indrani Haldar<br>Rituparna Sengupta | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Supporting Actor | Iruvar | Tamil | Prakash Raj | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Supporting Actress | Dil To Pagal Hai | Hindi | Karisma Kapoor | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Child Artist | Dhanna | Hindi | Dhanraj | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Male Playback Singer | Border | Hindi | Hariharan | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Female Playback Singer | Virasat | Hindi | K. S. Chithra | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Cinematography | Iruvar | Tamil | Cameraman: Santosh Sivan<br>Laboratory Processing: Prasad Film Laboratories | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Screenplay | Dahan | Bengali | Rituparno Ghosh | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Audiography | Ennu Swantham Janakikutty | Malayalam | Sampath | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Editing | The Terrorist | Tamil | A. Sreekar Prasad | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Art Direction | Thaayi Saheba | Kannada | Ramesh Desai | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Costume Design | Thaayi Saheba | Kannada | Vaishali Kasaravalli | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Music Direction | Annamayya | Telugu | M. M. Keeravani | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Lyrics | Border | Hindi | Javed Akhtar | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Choreography | Dil To Pagal Hai | Hindi | Shiamak Davar | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Special Jury Award | Thaayi Saheba | Kannada | Jaimala (Actor) | ₹ 25,000/- |
| Special Mention | Annamayya | Telugu | Nagarjuna (Actor) | Certificate Only |
| Ennu Swantham Janakikutty | Malayalam | Jomol (Actress) | Certificate Only |
Regional Awards
The National Film Awards also acknowledge excellence in regional cinema. Here are the winners in this category:
Best Feature Films
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film in Bengali | Dahan | Producer: Bijay Agarwal and Kalpana Agarwal<br>Director: Rituparno Ghosh | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Hindi | Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa | Producer: Govind Nihalani<br>Director: Govind Nihalani | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Kannada | Mungarina Minchu | Producer: Jai Jagadish – R. Dushyanth Singh<br>Director: Rajendra Singh Babu | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Malayalam | Mangamma | Producer: NFDC<br>Director: T. V. Chandran | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Oriya | Shesha Drushti | Producer: NFDC<br>Director: Apurba Kishore Bir | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Punjabi | Main Maa Punjab Dee | Producer: Devender Walia<br>Director: Balwant Dullat | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Tamil | The Terrorist | Producer: A. Sriram<br>Director: Santosh Sivan | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
| Best Feature Film in Telugu | Sindhooram | Producer: Krishna Vamsi<br>Director: Krishna Vamsi | ₹ 20,000/- Each |
Non-Feature Films
The National Film Awards also recognize excellence in non-feature films. These films, including documentaries and short films, play a crucial role in portraying diverse stories and perspectives.
Golden Lotus Award
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Non-Feature Film | Jataner Jami | Bengali | Producer: Raja Mitra and Associates<br>Director: Raja Mitra | ₹ 25,000/- Each |
Silver Lotus Award
| Name of Award | Name of Film | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best First Non-Feature Film | Mizhavu – A Silent Drum Beat | English | Producer: P. D. Raphel<br>Director: K. R. Subhash | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Anthropological / Ethnographic Film | In the Land of Lepchas | English | Producer: Government of West Bengal<br>Director: Anjan Bose and Manas Kamal Chowdhari | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Biographical Film | Mounam Sowmanasyam | Malayalam | Producer: T. Ravindranath<br>Director: Ravindran | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Arts / Cultural Film | The Official Art Form | English | Producer: National Gallery of Modern Art<br>Director: Suhasini Mulay and R. M. Gharekhan | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Scientific Film | Ayurveda | English | Producer: D. Gautaman for Films Division<br>Director: Bhanumurthy Alur | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Cancer | Hindi | Producer: Bhanumurthy Alur for Films Division<br>Director: C. K. M. Rao | ||
| Best Environment / Conservation / Preservation Film | Nature’s Sentinels – Bishnoi | Hindi | Producer: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division<br>Director: Late P. C. Sharma and Shankar Patnaik | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Promotional Film | Sarang – Symphony in Cocophony | English | Producer: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division<br>Director: Joshy Joseph for Films Division | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Agricultural Film | Post Harvest Management of Potato | Hindi | Producer: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division<br>Director: V. Packirisamy for Films Division | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film | Ayyankali – Adhastitharude Vimochakan | Malayalam | Producer: P. Sasidharan and A. Krishna<br>Director: R. S. Madhu | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Film on Social Issues | Matir Bhanr | Bengali | Producer: Anjana Ghosh Dastidar<br>Director: Debananda Sengupta | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Educational / Motivational / Instructional Film | Nirankush | Hindi | Producer: Venu Arora<br>Director: Venu Arora | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Exploration / Adventure Film | In Search of Excellence | Hindi | Producer: Kuldeep Sinha for Films Division<br>Director: Raghu Krishna | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Investigative Film | Thirst | Hindi | Producer: Y. N. Engineer for Films Division<br>Director: Swadesh Pathak for Films Division | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Animation Film | Trade – Commerce | Producer: Bhimsain<br>Director: Kireet Khurana | ₹ 10,000/- Each | |
| Best Short Fiction Film | Hypnothesis | Hindi | Producer: Film and Television Institute of India<br>Director: Rajat Kapoor | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Film on Family Welfare | The Saviour | Hindi | Producer: Shaila Paralkar<br>Director: Shaila Paralkar | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Banglar Baul | Bengali | Producer: Yash Chaudhary<br>Director: K. G. Das | ||
| Best Cinematography | The Trail | English | Cameraman: Ashok Dasgupta | ₹ 10,000/- Each |
| Best Audiography | Matir Bhanr | Bengali | Pankaj Shil | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Best Editing | Jataner Jami | Bengali | Ujjal Nandy | ₹ 10,000/- |
| Special Mention | Gotipua | English | Gulbahar Singh (Director) | Certificate Only |
Best Writing on Cinema
These awards recognize individuals who contribute significantly to the understanding and appreciation of Indian cinema through their writing.
Golden Lotus Award
| Name of Award | Name of Book | Language | Awardee(s) | Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Book on Cinema | Cinemachi Goshta | Marathi | Author: Anil Jhankar<br>Publisher: Rajhans Prakashan | ₹ 15,000/- Each |
| Hindi Cinema Aur Delhi | Hindi | Author: Savita Bhakhri and Adithya Aswathi<br>Publisher: Praveen Prakashan | ||
| Best Film Critic | English | Deepa Gahlot | ₹ 15,000/- |
Deepa Gahlot’s writings on cinema reflect a deep understanding of the art form, its history, and its contemporary dynamics. Her work combines serious analysis with popular appeal, making it accessible and valuable to a wide audience.
These awards showcased the incredible talent and dedication of individuals and teams in the Indian film industry. They continue to inspire and celebrate the rich cinematic heritage of India.
FAQs
1. What is the National Film Awards?
The National Film Awards are prestigious awards presented annually by the Indian government to recognize outstanding contributions to the Indian film industry.
2. How are the winners selected?
Winners are selected through a rigorous process that involves expert juries evaluating films in various categories. The juries are composed of respected individuals from the film industry and related fields.
3. What is the significance of the Golden Lotus and Silver Lotus awards?
The Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) and Silver Lotus (Rajat Kamal) awards are the highest and second-highest honors, respectively, at the National Film Awards. They represent excellence in various film categories.
4. Can non-feature films participate in these awards?
Yes, non-feature films, including documentaries and short films, have their own categories at the National Film Awards, and they are recognized for their contributions to Indian cinema.
5. Who received the Best Film Critic award in 1998?
The Best Film Critic award in 1998 was presented to Deepa Gahlot for her outstanding contributions to film criticism.
These FAQs provide some key information about the National Film Awards and their significance in the Indian film industry. For more detailed information about specific award categories and winners, refer to the tables above.
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