Anand Gandhi’s debut film ‘Ship of Theseus’ was named the best feature film while Milkha Singh’s biopic ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ was declared the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment at the 61st National Film Awards.

The best actor award was shared by ‘Shahid’ actor Rajkumar Rao and Suraj Venjaramoodu for Malayalam film ‘Perariyathavar’ while Hansal Mehta was named the best director for ‘Shahid’, again a biopic on slain lawyer-activist Shahid Azmi.

Geetanjali Thapa was named the best actress for Hindi film ‘Liar’s Dice’.

Saurabh Shukla was declared the best supporting actor for court-room drama ‘Jolly LLB’ which was also named the best Hindi film. The best supporting actress award is shared by Amruta Subhas and Aida El-Kashef for Astu (Marathi) and ‘Ship of Theseus’ (English-Hindi).

Indira Gandhi Award for best debut film will go to Marathi director Nagraj Manjule for his critically acclaimed ‘Fandry’.

Nargis Dutt Award for best feature film on National Integration will be given to Balu Mahendra directed Tamil film ‘Thalaimuraigal’.

An 11-member jury, headed by noted directed Saeed Akhtar Mirza announced the awards today.

The National Film Awards along with Dada Saheb Phalke honour, which will go to lyricist-director Gulzar this year, are likely to be given by President Pranab Mukherjee on May 3.

Nargis Dutt Award for best feature film on National Integration will be given to Balu Mahendra directed Tamil film ‘Thalaimuraigal’.

Marathi film ‘Tuhya Dharma Koncha’ was declared the best film on social issues.

Hindi film ‘Kaphal’ was named the best children’s film whereas Fandry’s Somnath Avghade and Tamil film ‘Thanga Meengal’s Sadhana shared the best child artist award.

Bengali film ‘Jaatishwar’ won the best male playback singer award for the song ‘E Tumi Kemon Tumi’ by Rupankar while in the female category Bela Shende won for the song ‘Khura Kura’ from Marathi film ‘Tuhya Dharma Koncha’.

Interestingly, both the original and adapted screenplay awards went to Kannada films. P Sheshadri won the award for his original screenplay in ‘December I’ while Panchakshari won the award for adapting ‘Prakruti’.

The best dialogue award will go to Sumitra Bhave for Marathi film ‘Astu’. In the language category, ‘Ajeyo’ was named the best Asamese film, ‘Bakita Byaktigato’ (Bengali), ‘December 1’ (Kannada), ‘Baga Beach’ (Konkani), ‘North 24 Kaadham’ (Malayalam), ‘Aajcha Diwas Majha’ (Marathi), ‘Thanga Meengal’ (Tamil) and ‘Na Bangaaru Talli’ (Telugu) were other winners.

‘Yellow’ (Marathi) and ‘Na Bangaaru Talli’ were given special mention by the jury. The other language winners were: ‘The Coffin Maker’ (English), ‘RI’ (Khasi), ‘The Crossing Bridges’ (Sherdukpen).

‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ choreographer Ganesh Acharya won in the best choreography category. In the best audiography category John Abraham-produced political thriller ‘Madras Cafe’ won the award for location Sound Recordist and Sound design while Malayalam film ‘Swapaanam’ won for re-recordist of the final mixed track.

Best editing went V J Sabu Joseph for the Tamil sports drama ‘Vallinam’ while best production design was won by ‘Miss Lovely’.

In the best music direction category ‘Jaatishwar’ won for the song while Tamil film ‘Na Bangaaru Talli’ was named in the best background score. ‘Jal’ won for special effects.

The film ‘Jaatishwar’ also won in the make-up and costume design cagtegories. The jury selected the winners in the best feature film category out of 310 films, an official said.