National Film Award for Best Direction
The National Film Award for Best Direction is an honour presented annually at India's National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Since 1967, the award is given by a national panel appointed annually by the DFF to a director for their work within Indian cinema. It is presented by the President of India at a ceremony held in New Delhi.
The winner is given a "Swarna Kamal" certificate and a cash prize of. Including ties and repeat winners, the DFF has presented a total of 52 Best Direction awards to 33 different directors. Although Indian cinema produces films in more than 20 languages, the performances of films that have won awards are of nine languages: Bengali, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, English, Kannada, Assamese, Panjabi and Marathi.
The first recipient was Satyajit Ray, who was honoured at the 15th National Film Awards for directing the Bengali film Chiriyakhana. As of 2017, Satyajit Ray is the most frequent recipient, with six wins. Gopalakrishnan won the award for his debut Malayalam film Swayamvaram. Mrinal Sen has been awarded four times. He is also the only recipient to win the award for directing films in two different languages: Bengali and Hindi. At the 19th National Film Awards, Girish Karnad and B.V. Karanth shared the award for co-directing the Kannada film Vamsha Vriksha. The most recent recipient is Aditya Dhar, who was honoured at the 66th National Film Awards for directing the Hindi film .Winners
| Year | Recipient | Film | Language | |
1967
| | Chiriyakhana | Bengali | |
1968
| | Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne | Bengali | |
1969
| | Bhuvan Shome | Hindi | |
1970
| | Pratidwandi | Bengali | |
1971
| | Vamsha Vriksha | Kannada | |
1971
| | Vamsha Vriksha | Kannada | |
1972
| | Swayamvaram | Malayalam | |
1973
| | Duvidha | Hindi | |
1974
| | Sonar Kella | Bengali | |
1975
| | Jana Aranya | Bengali | |
1976
| | Pallavi | Kannada | |
1977
| | Kanchana Sita | Malayalam | |
1978
| | Thampu | Malayalam | |
1979
| | Ek Din Pratidin | Bengali | |
1980
| | Akaler Shandhaney | Bengali | |
1981
| | 36 Chowringhee Lane | English | |
1982
| | Chokh | Bengali | |
1983
| | Khandhar | Hindi | |
1984
| | Mukhamukham | Malayalam | |
1985
| | Trikal | Hindi | |
1986
| | Oridathu | Malayalam | |
1987
| | Anantaram | Malayalam | |
1988
| | Piravi | Malayalam | |
1989
| | Mathilukal | Malayalam | |
1990
| | Ek Doctor Ki Maut | Hindi | |
1991
| | Agantuk | Bengali | |
1992
| | Padma Nadir Majhi | Bengali | |
1993
| | Ponthan Mada | Malayalam | |
1994
| | Xagoroloi Bohudoor | Assamese | |
1995
| | Naseem | Hindi | |
1996
| | Kadhal Kottai | Tamil | |
1997
| | Kaliyattam | Malayalam | |
1998
| | Janani | Malayalam | |
1999
| | Uttara | Bengali | |
2000
| | Utsab | Bengali | |
2001
| | Ooruku Nooruper | Tamil | |
2002
| | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | English | |
2003
| | Abar Aranye | Bengali | |
2004
| | Swapner Din | Bengali | |
2005
| | Parzania | English | |
2006
| | Traffic Signal | Hindi | |
2007
| | Naalu Pennungal | Malayalam | |
2008
| | Naan Kadavul | Tamil | |
2009
| | Abohomaan | Bengali | |
2010
| | Aadukalam | Tamil | |
2011
| | Anhe Ghore Da Daan | Punjabi | |
2012
| | Dhag | Marathi | |
2013
| | Shahid | Hindi | |
2014
| | Chotushkone | Bengali | |
2015
| | Bajirao Mastani | Hindi | |
2016
| | Ventilator | Marathi | |
2017
| | Bhayanakam | Malayalam | |
2018
| | | Hindi | |
Footnotes
