The National Film Awards were established in 1954 to promote cinematic excellence in India. The organisation of film festivals was the mandate of the Directorate of Films festivals.The awards aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form there by also promoting unity and integrity of the nation. Cinema has always played a crucial role in shaping society, reflecting its values and inspiring change. This remarkable journey of Indian Cinema began in 1913 when the father of India Cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke, created the first indigenous film, Raja Harishchandra. His passion and unwavering dedication to film making saved the wave for future generations, inspiring countless storytellers to push boundaries and elevate Indian Cinema. To honour this legacy and encourage the creation of high quality storytelling, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confers the prestigious National Film Awards along with cinema highest honour, the Dada Saheb Phalke award each year.
The awards were first presented in 1954. The Government of India conceived the ceremony to honour films made across India, on a national scale, to encourage the furthering of Indian art and culture.
The first National Film Awards were hold over two days, during which exhibitions were held and two documentaries were premiered, along with the presentation of awards. The state awards were initially instituted to encourage the production of films of a high aesthetic and technical standard with educational and cultural value. The best Actress award was initially called Urvashi and the best Actor award was called Bharat.
Every year, after seeking entries for the NFA for the previous year, the Ministry constitutes juries for Feature Film, Non Feature Film and Best writing in Cinema sections seperately, comprising of people distinguished in the field of cinema, allied forms of art and humanities.
