National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada

The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus).

The National Film Awards, established in 1954, are the most prominent film awards in India that merit the best of the Indian cinema. The ceremony also presents awards for films in various regional languages.

Awards for films in seven regional language (Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu) started from 2nd National Film Awards which were presented on 21 December 1955.[1] Three awards of "President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film", "Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film" and "Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film" were instituted. The later two certificate awards were discontinued from 15th National Film Awards (1967).

Directed by H. L. N. Simha, the 1954 film Bedara Kannappa, received the first Certificate of Merit. The film was based on the folktale of the hunter Kannappa who proves his extreme devotion to Lord Shiva by plucking out both of his eyes. However, the first "President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Kannada" was only awarded at the 5th National Film Awards ceremony held on 16 April 1958 to the 1957 film Premada Puthri. The film was directed by R. Nagendra Rao and produced under his banner R. N. R. Pictures. Following is the list of Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal) recipient films produced in Kannada language.

List of award films, showing the year (award ceremony), producer(s), director(s) and citation

   Sl.No    Year        Film Name(s)                       Producer(s)                                      Director(s)         

1.    1954  Bedara Kannappa          Gubbi Karnataka Productions     H. L. N. Simha  
2.   1955   Mahakavi Kalidasa        Lalitakala Film Private Ltd.         Honnappa Bhagavatar  
3.   1956   Bhakta Vijaya                Jagannath Productions                 A. K. Pattabhi 
4.   1957   Premada Puthri                R. N. R. Pictures                        R. Nagendra Rao      
5.   1958   School Master                 B. R. Panthalu                            B. R. Panthalu 
6.  1959   Jagajyothi Basveshwara      G. S. S. Murthy                        T. V. Singh Thakur   
7.  1960   Bhakta Kanakadasa          D. R. Naidu                                Y. R. Swami    
8.   1961   Kittur Chennamma          Padmini Pictures                            B. R. Panthalu 
9. 1962     Nanda Deepa             Sarvashri/U.S.Vadhiraj/U Jawahar       M. R. Vittal  
10. 1963     Sant Tukaram             B. Radhakrishna                               Sunder Rao Nadkarni  
11. 1963    Mangala Muhurtha         U. Subba Rao                                M. R. Vittal    
12. 1964   Chandavalliya Thota        Pals & Co.                                     T.V.Singh Thakur 
13. 1964     Nava Jeevana        U S Vadhiraj/U.Jawahar/Bharathi Chitra     P.S Moorthy 
14.  1964     Mane Aliya                         A. Subba Rao                              S K.A. Chari   
15.  1965    Sathya Harishchandra    Kadri Venkata Reddy                   Hunsur Krishnamurthy
16. 1965     Miss Leelavathi            K. S. Jagan Nath                            M. R. Vittal   
17. 1965     Maduve Madi Nodu       Nagi Reddy, Chakrapani             Hunsur Krishnamurthy
18. 1966     Sandhya Raaga           A.C.Narasimha Murthy Narasimha Murthy-  Bhagwan   
19. 1967     Bangarada Hoovu            B. A. Arasa Kumar                    B. A. Arasa Kumar     
20. 1968     Mannina Maga            M. V. Vemkatachallam/P.Alexander   -Geethapriya   
21. 1969     Gejje Pooje                        Chithra Jyothi                               Puttanna Kanagal     
22. 1970     Naguva Hoovu                  R. N. Sudarshan                         R. N. K. Prasad   
23. 1971     Vamsha Vriksha                –            –            –                    Girish Karnad
24. 1972     Sharapanjara                 C. S. Rajah                                       Puttanna Kanagal      
25. 1973     Abachurine Post Office    Patre C. Vinayak                         N. Lakshminarayan    
26.  1974     Kankana                       Mayura Films Pvt. Ltd                 M. B. S. Prasad 
27.  1975     Hamsageethe                M/s. Anantha Lakshmi Films       G. V. Iyer      
28.  1976     Pallavi                                               P Lankesh
29. 1977     Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane-BM.Venkatesh/Chandulal Jain/Girish Karnad/BV Karanth
30.   1978    Ondanondu Kaladalli                      L. N. Combines                  Girish Karnad    
31.  1979    Arivu                                     –            –                       Katte Ramachandra 
32.   1980    No Award
33.  1981    Bara                                          M. S. Sathyu                       M. S. Sathyu      
34. 1982    Phaniyamma                                Prema Karanth                  Prema Karanth 
35. 1983    Banker Margayya   T.S.Narasimhan, B S.Somasundar    T. S. Nagabharana  
36. 1984     Bandhana                    Rohini Pictures                              R. B. Rajendra Singh    
37. 1985     Bettada Hoovu         Parvathamma Rajkumar                 N. Lakshminarayanan    
38. 1986     Shankha Nada           Umesh Kulkarni                             Umesh Kulkarni    
39. 1987     Kadina Benki             M/s Manasa Arts                   Suresh Heblikar     
40. 1988     Bannada Vesha            Doordarshan                         Girish Kasaravalli          
41. 1989     Mane                            Apoorva Chitra                     Girish Kasaravalli    
42. 1990     Muthina Haara                Rajendra Singh Babu           Rajendra Singh Babu    
43. 1991     Mysooru Mallige              Srihari L. Khode                T. S. Nagabharana 
44. 1992     Harakeya Kuri           B. V. Radha                    Lalitha Ravee (K.S L Swamy)   
45. 1993     Chinnari Mutha         Naginibharana/Saroja/Nandakumar-T. S. Nagabharana    
46. 1994    Kotreshi Kanasu            G. Nandakumar                   Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar     
47. 1995     Kraurya                        Nirmala Chitgopi                          Girish Kasaravalli    
48. 1996     America America              G. Nandakumar                  Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar  
49. 1997     Mungarina Minchu       Jai Jagdish R. Dushyanth Singh   Rajendra Singh Babu    
50. 1998     Hoomale                       K. S. Usha Rao                 Nagathihalli Chandrashekar     
51. 1999     Kanooru Heggadithi        H. G. Narayana/CM.Narayana/IP Mallegowda-Girish Karnad
52.  2000    Mathadana                 H. G. Narayana/I. P. Malligowda          T. N. Seetharam    
53.  2001    Atithi                                     Mitrachitra                               P. Sheshadri    
54.  2002    Singaaravva                 Sandesh Nagraj                               T. S. Nagabharana    
55.  2003    Preethi Prema Pranaya      Kavitha Lankesh                             Kavitha Lankesh      
56.  2004    Beru                              Mitrachitra                                          P. Sheshadri   
57. 2005     Thaayavva                       Prameela Joshay                      Baraguru Ramchandrappa   
58.  2006     Kaada Beladingalu   K.M.Veeresh/KN Siddalingaiah/BS Lingadevaru -B.S LIngadevaru    
59. 2007     Gulabi Talkies          Basant Kumar Patil                    Girish Kasaravalli      
60. 2008     Vimukthi                Navyachitra Creations                    P. Sheshadri    
61. 2009     Kanasemba Kudureyaneri       Basant Kumar Patil       Girish Kasaravalli       
62. 2010     Puttakkana Highway       Shylaja Nag/Prakash Raj              B. Suresha  
63.  2011     Koormavatara               Basant Kumar Patil             Girish Kasaravalli  
64.  2012    Bharath Stores                Basant Productions                P. Sheshadri