At the 71st National Film Awards announced in New Delhi, Assamese filmmaker
Utpal Datta
received the prestigious Swarna Kamal and ₹1,00,000 for his outstanding contribution to cinema, while several regional films from Assam earned top honors.
Adityam Saikia’s
Rongatapu 1982
was named Best Assamese Film, and
Pai Tang (Step of Hope)
won Best
Tai Phake Film
. Both films were awarded the Rajat Kamal and ₹2,00,000 each for the director and producer. The awards were declared by Feature Film Jury Chairperson
Ashutosh Gowariker
and others, including Non-Feature Film Jury Chairperson P. Sheshadri and PIB Director General Ms. Mattu J. P. Singh. The announcement marked a significant recognition for Northeast India’s evolving film landscape.
Rongatapu 1982
, produced by BRC Cine Production and directed by Adityam Saikia, explores a deeply rooted Assamese narrative, earning national acclaim for its authentic storytelling. Similarly,
Pai Tang
, a Tai Phake language film produced by Naba Kumar Bhuyan and directed by Prabal Khaund, was celebrated for highlighting a rarely represented community. Another major win for the Northeast was
Shilpika Bordoloi
’s debut film
Mau: The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw
(Mizo), which secured the award for Best Debut Film of a Director, receiving the Swarna Kamal and a cash prize of ₹3,00,000. In mainstream categories, Bollywood star
Shah Rukh Khan
won his first-ever National Film Award for Best Actor for
Jawan
, sharing the honor with
Vikrant Massey
for
12th Fail
.
Rani Mukerji
also received her first National Award, winning Best Actress for
Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway
. Veteran actors
Vijayaraghavan
and
Muthupettai
Somu Bhaskar
were jointly awarded Best Supporting Actor for their impactful performances. The recognition of films and artists from Assam and the broader Northeast region underlines the growing diversity and richness of Indian cinema. The awards ceremony not only honored individual excellence but also spotlighted underrepresented languages and communities on the national stage.
