Telugu cinema placed itself a notch higher in the film world this year bagging seven awards at the 66th National Film Awards, announced on Friday.
Keerti Suresh won the best actress award for her outstanding performance in Mahanati based on the life of legendary actor Savitri and the movie also bagged the best film award in Telugu.
The last time a Telugu film got the best actress award was in 1990 when Vijayashanti bagged it for her powerful police officer role in Kartavyam . Interestingly, Keerti Suresh is the first non-Telugu actress to win the best actress national award in a Telugu film. She hails from Kerala.
The runaway hit Mahanati also bagged award for the best costumes and the award winning team includes Gaurang Shah, Indirakshi Pattanaik and Archana Rao, who worked as costume designers.
The Telugu film Awe won the best special effects award and it shared it with Kannada film KGF . The film also bagged another award for the best make-up and Ranjit was the make-up artiste for the film that was produced by popular actor Nani along with some others.
Rahul Ravindran won the award for best original screenplay for the much-appreciated romantic film Chi La Sau , while M.R. Raja Krishnan won the award for best mixed track for the hit movie Rangasthalam directed by Sukumar.
Another Telugu technician Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti won the national award but for a Marathi film Naal . He bagged the Indira Gandhi award for the best bebut director and also handled the megaphone for the film. He has earlier worked as the cameraman for Sairat . His latest venture is a biopic on PDSU leader of mid 70s on the Osmania University campus, George Reddy.
