National Awards 2019: Kangana Ranaut, Manoj Bajpayee, Dhanush named top winners

Controversial star Kangana Ranaut, Manoj Bajpayee and Dhanush were on Monday chosen as the best actress and best actors as part of the 2019 National Film Awards announced on Monday.

Manoj Kumar-directed 'Akshi' won the best Kannada film award while Vikram Mor won the best action direction award for the Kannada movie 'Avane Srimannarayana'.

'Wild Karnataka', a documentary, was adjudged the Best Exploration Film in non-feature category while Sir David Attenborough won the awar for the best narration for the same product.

P R Ramadasa Naidu's 'Kannada Cinema: Jagathika Cinema Vikasa Prerane-Prabhava' won special mention for the Best Cinema Book.

Director Priyadarshan's Mohanlal-starrer 'Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham' (Malayalam) has been adjudged the best feature film Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan was named best director for Hindi film 'Bahattar Hoorain'.

Ranaut and Dhanush have won the best actors award twice while this will be third national award for Bajpayee in the past 20 years.

Ranaut bagged the best actress award for her roles in "Manikarnika" and "Panga" while Bajpayee and Dhanush shared the best actor honours for their roles in Hindi film 'Bhonsle' and 'Asuran' (Tamil) respectively.

Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi has bagged the best supporting actor award for his role in Super Deluxe while Pallavi Joshi won the best supporting actress honour for her role in The Tashkent Files.

Four films -- Sajin Babu's Biriyani (Malayalam),Benjamin Daimiry's Jonaki Porua (Assamese), Lata Kare's Lata Bhagwan Kare (Marathi) and Abhijeet Mohan Warang's Picasso (Marathi) won special mention.

Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer "Chhichhore" was adjudged the best Hindi film.

The award for the best film on social issues went to Marathi film "Anandi Gopal", the Nargis Dutt award for National Integration was given to"Taj Mahal" and the best popular providing wholesome entertainment was given to the Telugu film "Maharshi".

Malayalam feature films bagged nine awards followed by Hindi, which bagged eight.

While director Priyadarshan won the best film award for 'Marakkar', his son Siddharth Priyadarshan won the best special effects award.

Among Malayalam films, Mathukutty Xavier won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for his film Helen while 'Jallikettu' cinematographer Gireesh Gangadharan won the award for best camera.