Feb 21, 2023
By: Srishti Magan
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Founded in 2012, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) claims to be India’s only independent international film festival. It recognises and rewards talent in the Indian television and film industry, including web series.
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DPIFF is different from The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which is awarded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for outstanding contributions to the growth and development of Indian cinema. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in the field of cinema.
Credit: BCCL
Dadasaheb Phalke was widely regarded as the “father of Indian cinema” and DPIFF aims to carry forward his legacy. Chandrasekhar Pusalkar, the grandson of Dadasaheb Phalke, is the jury president. Here’s a look at this year’s winners:
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Alia Bhatt won the Best Actress award for her role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. Her impassioned performance as a sex worker turned local leader was hailed by critics as well. The film even received an 8-minute standing ovation at the Berlin Film Festival, claimed Bhansali.
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Last year saw fabulous performances by Hrithik Roshan (Vikram Vedha), Rajkummar Rao (Badhaai Do and Monica, O My Darling) Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat (An Action Hero), among others. But Ranbir Kapoor took home the award for Best Actor for Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva.
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R Balki, best known for his National Award-winning film Paa, bagged the Best Director Award for his crime thriller, Chup: Revenge of The Artist. The film takes a well-meaning dig at film critics and is a treat for cinephiles. It’s also Balki’s first attempt in the genre of crime thrillers.
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Rishabh Shetty took home the award for the Most Promising Actor for his scintillating performance as the protagonist in the Kannada action-thriller, Kantara. Shetty is also the film’s writer and director.
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After Stree and Roohi, producer Dinesh Vijan returned with the horror-comedy Bhediya that saw Varun Dhawan bag the Critics Best Actor award for his role in the film.
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Easily the most controversial film of the year, Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files bagged the award for the Best Film. It’s based on the 1990s exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir.
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SS Rajamouli’s RRR, which has received numerous international nominations and awards including a Golden Globe, was named Film of the Year. It stars Ram Charan, Jr. NTR and Alia Bhatt, among others. With this win, three of Bhatt’s four films from 2022 have won an award.
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The psychological crime thriller starring Ajay Devgn, Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, won the award for Best Web Series, beating the crowd favourite, Panchayat S2. Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, Rudra is the official Hindi remake of the critically-acclaimed British series, Luther.
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The hit TV series Anupamaa, starring Rupali Ganguly in the titular role, took home the award for Television Series of The Year. Though melodramatic in a way only Hindi soaps can be, the show has been hailed for normalising the idea of divorce and remarriage for India’s TV-viewing audience.
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Veteran actor Rekha took home the award for Outstanding Contribution in the Film Industry, while legendary singer Hariharan was lauded for his Outstanding Contribution in the Music Industry. PS Vinod bagged the award for Best Cinematographer for Vikram Vedha.
Credit: TOI