--- title: "National Film Awards Categories: Complete Guide to All Award Types" description: "The National Film Awards cover three main sections including Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Writing on Cinema. The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) under the Ministry of..." url: https://www.nationalfilmawards.in/national-film-awards-categories/ date: 2026-06-12 modified: 2026-06-12 author: "Manu Faria" image: https://www.nationalfilmawards.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/National-Film-Awards-Categories-Swarna-Rajat-Kamal.webp categories: ["Award"] type: post lang: en --- # National Film Awards Categories: Complete Guide to All Award Types The National Film Awards cover **three main sections including Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Writing on Cinema**. The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting administers the categories. The jury divides the awards between the Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) and Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) trophies. This complete reference guide covers all award types, prize money structures, eligibility rules, and the major 2024 category name changes. !(https://nationalfilmawards.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/National-Film-Awards-Categories-Swarna-Rajat-Kamal-1024x683.webp) --- **Table of Contents** 1. What Are the Three Sections of National Film Awards? 2. Swarna Kamal and Rajat Kamal: Which Categories Win Which Trophy? 3. Feature Film Categories at the National Film Awards 4. What Are the 2024 Changes to National Film Award Category Names? 5. Non-Feature Film Categories at the National Film Awards 6. Writing on Cinema Categories at the National Film Awards 7. Who Receives the National Film Award Trophy? (Category-Wise) 8. Recent National Film Award Category Winners (Quick Reference) 9. Frequently Asked Questions About National Film Award Categories --- ## What Are the Three Sections of National Film Awards? The National Film Awards are divided into **three sections: Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Best Writing on Cinema**. A separate central jury evaluates each section to determine the winners for films certified in the preceding calendar year. The Ministry established these three sections to ensure comprehensive coverage of Indian cinema. The Feature Film section recognizes full-length narrative movies. The Non-Feature Film section honors documentaries, short films, and animation. The Writing on Cinema section rewards authors and journalists who study cinema as an art form. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award operates independently of these three sections. It honors a film personality for their outstanding lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. --- ## Swarna Kamal and Rajat Kamal: Which Categories Win Which Trophy? The National Film Awards allocate the **Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) and Rs 3,00,000 to the top feature film categories, while the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) and Rs 2,00,000 go to acting, technical, and regional film categories**. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the supreme Swarna Kamal. It carries a cash prize of Rs 15,00,000 and a shawl. ### Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) Categories — Complete List The Swarna Kamal represents the pinnacle of cinematic achievement in India. | Category Name | Section | Prize Money | | --- | --- | --- | | Best Feature Film | Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Producer) & Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Direction | Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 | | Best Popular Film | Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Producer) & Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Children’s Film | Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Producer) & Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Debut Film of a Director | Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Film in AVGC | Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Producer) & Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Non-Feature Film | Non-Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Producer) & Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Debut Film of a Director | Non-Feature Film | Rs 3,00,000 (Director) | | Best Book on Cinema | Writing on Cinema | Rs 1,00,000 (Publisher) & Rs 1,00,000 (Author) | | Best Film Critic | Writing on Cinema | Rs 1,00,000 | ### Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) Categories — Complete List The Rajat Kamal recognizes individual excellence in acting, technical crafts, and regional filmmaking. Each Rajat Kamal winner receives Rs 2,00,000. If two individuals jointly win a category, they divide the cash prize equally. **Feature Film Rajat Kamal Categories:** - Best Actor - Best Actress - Best Supporting Actor - Best Supporting Actress - Best Child Artist - Best Music Direction (Songs and Background Score) - Best Male Playback Singer - Best Female Playback Singer - Best Choreography - Best Lyrics - Best Cinematography - Best Editing - Best Sound Design - Best Screenplay (Original and Adapted) - Best Dialogues - Best Production Design - Best Costume Design - Best Make-up Artist - Best Action Direction - Best Feature Film in Regional Languages (Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Odia, Assamese, etc.) - Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values Understand the complete (/swarna-kamal-rajat-kamal/) rules. --- ## Feature Film Categories at the National Film Awards The Feature Film section includes **over 30 categories covering top honors, acting performances, musical achievements, technical crafts, and specific regional language awards**. A central jury of 11 members evaluates the feature films. The films must possess a valid certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). ### Top Honours (Swarna Kamal Feature Film Categories) The Top Honours recognize the best complete films and directors. The Best Feature Film award honors the single most outstanding movie of the year. The Best Direction category rewards exceptional directorial vision. The Best Popular Film category recognizes movies that combine wholesome entertainment with massive commercial success. The Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) is a newer category recognizing technical spectacle. Read the (/best-feature-film-national-award/). ### Acting and Performance Categories The acting categories recognize the best performers across all Indian languages. The Best Actor and Best Actress categories are the most intensely debated awards every year. The jury evaluates the actor’s ability to inhabit the character completely. The Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories recognize crucial secondary roles. The Best Child Artist category honors performers under the age of 18. Browse the (/best-actor-national-award/) and the (/best-actress-national-award/). ### Music and Creative Categories These categories honor the aural and movement elements of Indian cinema. The Best Music Direction category is divided into two separate awards for Songs and Background Score. The Best Male Playback Singer and Best Female Playback Singer categories recognize outstanding vocal performances. The Best Choreography category honors dance directors. The Best Lyrics category rewards exceptional songwriting. Explore the (/best-music-direction-national-award/) database. ### Technical Categories The technical categories reward the behind-the-scenes craft. The Best Cinematography category honors the director of photography. The Best Editing category recognizes the film editor. The Best Sound Design category consolidates previous audiography awards into a single honor. The Best Screenplay category is divided into Original and Adapted screenplays. Read the (/best-cinematography-national-award/) guide. ### Regional Language Film Categories The jury awards a Rajat Kamal to the best feature film in every language listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. This includes Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Odia, Assamese, Punjabi, and Gujarati. The jury can also award films in non-scheduled languages like Tiwa or Tulu if the film demonstrates exceptional merit. Browse the (/best-hindi-film-national-award/) and (/best-tamil-film-national-award/) winners. --- ## What Are the 2024 Changes to National Film Award Category Names? The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting **renamed the Indira Gandhi Award to Best Debut Film of a Director and the Nargis Dutt Award to Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values in 2024**. These changes became effective from the 70th National Film Awards. The Ministry implemented these changes to rationalise the honours and remove political or individual names from the specific film categories. **2024 Category Rename Mapping:** | Old Category Name | New Category Name | Effective Edition | | --- | --- | --- | | Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director | Best Debut Film of a Director | 70th NFA (2024) | | Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration | Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values | 70th NFA (2024) | The prize money structures for these renamed categories also changed. The Best Debut Film of a Director prize goes solely to the director now. The Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values category consolidates three previous awards into one comprehensive Rajat Kamal honor. Review the [70th National Film Awards complete winners](/70th-national-film-awards/) to see these new categories in action. --- ## Non-Feature Film Categories at the National Film Awards The Non-Feature Film section covers **over 15 categories honoring documentaries, short fiction films, animation, and specialized educational films**. A separate jury of six members evaluates the non-feature films. ### Top Honours in Non-Feature Films The Best Non-Feature Film category awards the Swarna Kamal to the most outstanding documentary or short film of the year. The Best Debut Film of a Director (Non-Feature) also receives a Swarna Kamal. ### Thematic Category Awards (Non-Feature) The thematic categories award the Rajat Kamal. These include the Best Documentary, Best Short Film (typically under 30 minutes), and Best Animation Film. Specialized categories include the Best Biographical Film, Best Arts/Culture Film, and Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values. ### Technical Awards in Non-Feature Films The non-feature section honors specific technical crafts with a Rajat Kamal. These include Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Music Direction, Best Editing, and Best Sound Design. The Best Narration/Voice Over category is unique to the non-feature section. Read the complete (/national-film-awards-non-feature/). --- ## Writing on Cinema Categories at the National Film Awards The Writing on Cinema section includes **two categories: Best Book on Cinema and Best Film Critic, both of which award the Swarna Kamal to encourage the academic and critical study of Indian films**. The Best Book on Cinema category rewards books that provide deep historical context or critical analysis of Indian cinema. The author and the publisher each receive a Swarna Kamal and Rs 1,00,000. The Best Film Critic category recognizes journalists or critics who consistently produce insightful analysis of Indian cinema throughout the calendar year. The critic receives a Swarna Kamal and Rs 1,00,000. The jury for this section maintains extremely high standards. During the 71st National Film Awards, the jury evaluated 27 books but decided to not award the Best Book on Cinema prize. This marked the first time since 1981 the award was withheld. Explore the (/national-film-awards-writing/) database. --- ## Who Receives the National Film Award Trophy? (Category-Wise) The recipient of the National Film Award trophy **varies by category, with the Producer and Director sharing Best Film awards, while individual technicians, actors, or directors receive specific craft awards**. The NFDC establishes strict rules regarding who collects the trophy and the prize money. - **Best Feature Film (and all Best Regional Film categories):** Both the Producer and the Director receive the trophy and the full stated prize money amount. - **Best Direction:** Only the Director receives the trophy and the prize money. - **Best Debut Film of a Director:** As of the 2024 rule changes, only the Director receives this award. - **Acting Categories:** The individual Actor or Actress receives the trophy. - **Technical Categories:** The specific credited technician (e.g., the Cinematographer or the Editor) receives the trophy. - **Joint Winners:** When the jury declares a tie between two individuals (such as two actors sharing Best Actor), both individuals receive a Rajat Kamal trophy, but they divide the Rs 2,00,000 prize money equally (Rs 1,00,000 each). Understand the (/national-film-awards-jury/). --- ## Recent National Film Award Category Winners (Quick Reference) The recent National Film Award category winners include **Aattam and 12th Fail for Best Feature Film, Rishab Shetty and Shah Rukh Khan for Best Actor, and Mithun Chakraborty for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award**. | Category | 71st NFA Winner (2023 Films) | 70th NFA Winner (2022 Films) | 69th NFA Winner (2021 Films) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Dadasaheb Phalke** | Mohanlal | Mithun Chakraborty | Waheeda Rehman | | **Best Feature Film** | 12th Fail | Aattam | Rocketry: The Nambi Effect | | **Best Actor** | Shah Rukh Khan & Vikrant Massey | Rishab Shetty | Allu Arjun | | **Best Actress** | Rani Mukerji | Nithya Menen & Manasi Parekh | Alia Bhatt & Kriti Sanon | | **Best Director** | Sudipto Sen | Sooraj R. Barjatya | Nikhil Mahajan | Review the complete [71st National Film Awards complete winners](/71st-national-film-awards/) list and browse the (/national-film-awards-winners/) index. --- ### Frequently Asked Questions About National Film Award Categories #### How many categories are there in the National Film Awards? **There are over 50 categories in the National Film Awards.** The Feature Film section includes approximately 33 categories, the Non-Feature Film section includes over 15 categories, and the Writing on Cinema section includes two categories. #### What is the difference between Swarna Kamal and Rajat Kamal? **The Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) is awarded to the top film categories and carries a Rs 3,00,000 prize.** The Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) is awarded to specific acting, technical, and regional film categories and carries a Rs 2,00,000 prize. #### Can an OTT film win a National Film Award? **An OTT film can win a National Film Award if it receives a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).** The film must obtain the CBFC certificate within the eligible calendar year to qualify for the jury evaluation. #### Why were two categories renamed at the National Film Awards in 2024? **The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting renamed two categories in 2024 to rationalise the honours.** The Indira Gandhi Award and the Nargis Dutt Award received new neutral names to remove political and individual associations from the film categories. #### Who decides which film wins the Best Feature Film National Award? **A central jury of 11 members decides which film wins the Best Feature Film National Award.** The NFDC appoints distinguished professionals from the Indian cinema industry to evaluate the eligible films and select the ultimate winners. --- ##### Discover More National Film Awards History - Read the (/national-film-awards/) - Anticipate the [72nd National Film Awards categories](/72nd-national-film-awards/) - Explore the (/dadasaheb-phalke-award/) - Read the (/best-director-national-award/) guide