'December 1' adjudged best Kannada film

“December 1,” a hard-hitting tale of a poor family in a village that gets enmeshed with the crooked ways of politicians, has been declared best Kannada film for the year 2013.

The film’s director P Sheshadri and producer Basant Production will get a Rajat Kamal and Rs one lakh each. This was announced by a 11-member jury of the National Film Awards here on Wednesday.

Sheshadri also won the best original screenplay writer award for his work in “December 1.” He will receive Rajat Kamal award and Rs 50,000 in cash for “kaleidoscopic variety” of the screenplay write up in the film that uses “realism and colloquialism” soaked in a contemporary flavour.

The award for the best adapted screenplay writer went to Panchakshari for retaining the concerns and values of an original work by a celebrated author while adapting it into the cinematic idiom in Kannada film “Prakruti.” His award carries a Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000 in cash.

“North 24 Kaadham,” produced by Surya Cine Arts and directed by Anil Radhakrishnan Menon, won the best Malayalam film award.

Best Tamil film award went to “Thanga Meengal,” produced by JSK Film Corporation and directed by Ram. Na Bangaaru. “Talli” was declared best Telugu film, produced by Sun Touch Productions and directed by Rajesh Touchriver.

Na Muthukumar won best lyrics award for giving a poetic expression to the narrative through contextual amplification of emotions in Tamil film Thanga Meengal (Tamil). His award carries a Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000 in cash.