National award winners from Kollywood speak out

Tamil cinema won six awards that include best lyricist honour for Vairamuthu at the 64th National awards announced in New Delhi on Friday.

Vairamuthu has earlier won the National award for best lyrics in the year 1986 (Mudhal Mariyadhai- al lsongs), 1993 (Chinna Chinna Aasai- Roja), 1995 (Porale Ponnuthaayi- Karuthamma & Uyirum Neeye-Pavithra), 2000 (Mudhal Murai Killi Parthen- Pavithra), 2003 (All songs- Kannathil Muthamittal) and 2011 (Kallikkaattil Pirandha Thaayae- Then Maerku Paruvakaatru).

He said it is not a honour for him, but for Tamil. "I am just a tool," he said.

Dhananjayan Govind has bagged the National Award for Best Critic at the 64th National Awards. "I have been writing several articles pertaining to Tamil cinema, the issues industry have been facing, prevailing trend, and so on. But the recognition was completely unexpected. I feel so proud that my writing has been appreciated in national level," he said.

Raju Murugan-directed Joker bagged Best Tamil Film and Best Playback Singer for Sundara Iyer.

24 pocketed awards for Best Production Design for Amit Ray and Subratra Chakraborty, Best Cinematography for Thiru and Best Visual Effects.

S R Prabhu is all smiles as his production venture Joker won two awards. “We had faith in our movie. There is no words to describe my joy now. All credits to Raju Murugan and his team. We came out with the movie amidst great difficulty," he said.

Thiru said, "The award was unexpected and I consider it to be a great honour. The script of the film was quite demanding. I'm happy that the movie won two more awards. The screenplay of the film was such that it was challenging and required us to work accordingly."