71st National Film Awards: South Indian Cinema Shines as 'Bhagavanth Kesari', 'Parking', and 'Ullozhukku' Win Big

The 71st National Film Awards, celebrating the best of Indian cinema released in 2023, were announced in New Delhi today. South Indian films made a remarkable mark this year, with powerful stories, stellar performances, and technical brilliance earning recognition across categories.

Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna's action-packed drama ‘Bhagavanth Kesari’ was awarded Best Telugu Film, while Tamil film ‘Parking’ bagged Best Tamil Film, with veteran actor MS Bhaskar also winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in the same film.

Malayalam actress Urvashi won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in ‘Ullozhukku’, which also clinched the Best Malayalam Film award. In the Kannada cinema segment, ‘Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope’ took home the award for Best Kannada Film.

🏅 Complete List of South Indian Winners at 71st National Film Awards:

Best Telugu Film – Bhagavanth Kesari

Best Tamil Film – Parking

Best Malayalam Film – Ullozhukku

Best Kannada Film – Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope

Best Supporting Actress – Urvashi (Ullozhukku)

Best Supporting Actor – Vijayaraghavan (Pookkalam), MS Bhaskar (Parking)

Best Stunt Choreography – Nandu & Prithvi (HanuMan)

Best Lyrics – Kasarla Shyam (Balagam)

Best Music Direction – GV Prakash Kumar (Vaathi)

Best Production Design – Mohandas (2018)

Best Editing – Midhun Murali (Pookkalam)

Best Screenplay – Baby (Telugu) – Sai Rajesh Neelam, Parking (Tamil) – Ramkumar Balakrishnan

Best Male Playback Singer – PVNS Rohit for Premisthunna (from Baby)

Best Child Artist – Sukriti Veni Bandreddi (Gandhi Tatha Chettu)

Best AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics) – HanuMan

🎬 Spotlight on the Winning Films

Bhagavanth Kesari, directed by Anil Ravipudi, follows the story of a resolute man who raises a young girl to fulfill her father’s dream of seeing her in the Indian Army. The film combines high-octane action with emotional depth and features Balakrishna in a commanding performance.

Parking, a Tamil drama directed by debutant Ramkumar Balakrishnan, tells the gripping tale of a parking dispute between two tenants that spirals into a psychological war driven by ego and power. MS Bhaskar’s nuanced portrayal played a pivotal role in the film’s impact.

In Ullozhukku, director Christo Tomy delves into grief, guilt, and secrets that surface when two individuals are brought together by loss. Urvashi’s emotionally rich performance earned her a well-deserved national honour.

Kannada film Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope explores the heart-wrenching journey of a farmer struggling with loss, dignity, and societal hypocrisy after the tragic death of his son abroad.

South Indian cinema has once again proven its storytelling excellence on the national stage, setting a high benchmark for the years to come.