Rishab Shetty won the Best Actor award for his performance in the blockbuster film ‘Kantara’ at the 70th National Film Awards, announced in New Delhi on Friday.

Set in the fictional village of Dakshina Kannada, ‘Kantara’ follows Shetty’s character, a Kambala champion, as he clashes with an upright Forest Range officer. The film also secured the ‘Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment’ award.

In the Best Actress category, the honor was shared by Nithya Menen and Manasi Parekh. Nithya was recognized for her powerful performance in the Tamil film ‘Thiruchitrambalam,’ while Manasi impressed audiences with her role in the Gujarati film ‘Kutch Express.’

The Best Feature Film award was bestowed upon the Malayalam film ‘Aattam,’ directed by Anand Ekarshi. The film addresses the theme of sexual violence.

Manoj Bajpayee’s film ‘Gulmohar’ was named the ‘Best Hindi Film’ and also received a Special Mention. Directed by Rahul V. Chittella, ‘Gulmohar’ explores the lives of the Batra family as they prepare to leave their 34-year-old home, uncovering deep-seated family bonds, secrets, and insecurities. The film features an ensemble cast, including Sharmila Tagore, Simran, and Suraj Sharma.

Veteran filmmaker Sooraj R. Barjatya bagged the Best Director award for ‘Uunchai.’ The film also earned Neena Gupta the Best Supporting Actress award.

The 70th National Film Awards celebrated the best films and cinematic achievements of 2022. The winners were announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) during a press conference in the national capital.

The jury for the awards included Rahul Rawail as the Chairperson of the Feature Film Jury, Nila Madhab Panda as the Chairperson of the Non-Feature Film Jury, and Gangadhar Mudalair as the Chairperson of the Best Writing on Cinema Jury.