Noted actor Srinath, filmmaker P.H. Vishwanath, and producer-distributor K.V. Gupta have been chosen for the Dr. Rajkumar, Puttanna Kanagal, and Dr. Vishnuvardhan awards for 2013, respectively.
These awards are given by the State government to personalities who have contributed for the growth of Kannada film industry, as part of State annual film awards.
Actors Nikhil Manjoo and Nivedita have bagged the best actor awards for their performance in Hajj and December 1 respectively.
An eight-member selection committee, headed by G.K. Govinda Rao, selected the films and personalities for the awards. Minister for Information Roshan Baig announced 30 awards under various categories; they carry a purse, gold and silver medals. It was a tough job for the committee as there were 62 films in the competition.
Mr. Baig said that the awards for both 2012 (which is pending) and 2013 would be given away at a function in Mysore in February.
‘Unanimous’“The selection was unanimous. We have selected deserving films and persons for the awards to the best of our understanding,” Mr. Govinda Rao said.
Describing the award as the best thing to have happened in his life, Mr. Srinath said, “It is an honour to get the Dr. Rajkumar award, as I started my film career from Lagnapatrike along with Rajkumar. I have acted in over 400 films. I consider this award as his blessings”.
Elated by the honour, Mr. Vishwanath said, “I am happy to get the award instituted in the name of my guru Puttanna Kanagal. I worked with him in over eight films and he was like a university”.
Ms. Nivedita said, “It is a New Year gift for me. I got this recognition for the role I did in ‘December 1’.
I consider the State award as a recognition of my efforts”.
