Priyanka Chopra received National Award on Friday

Priyanka Chopra looked stunning in a white sari as she received the National Award for best actress on Friday.

President Pratibha Patil on Friday conferred the 56th National Film Awards for 2008 to the illustrious winners in a glittering function held at Vigyan Bhavan. Eminent cinematographer V.K. Murthy received a standing ovation and thunderous applause when the President decorated him with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2008. Murthy, who shot India’s first cinemascope movie Kagaz Ke Phool, is the first cinematographer to get the award since its inception in 1969. A total of 130 awardees in 69 categories received medals and citations from the President.

For the first time the National Awards ceremony was hosted by film personalities Divya Dutta and Ashutosh Rana. The live rendition of Hariharan’s award-winning song in the Marathi film Jogva — Jeev Dangla Gungla Rangla; and Bonnie Chakravorty’s performance of the best choreographed award-winning song of Jodhaa Akbar — Azeem-o-shaan Shahenshah — enthralled the audience.

Congratulating the winners, President Patil noted that every Indian was proud of the international acclaim, awards and growing interest in Indian cinema across the world. “Cinema needs to be continuously nurtured, as a part of our efforts to not only excel in filmmaking, but also to use it as a medium to give expression to the importance of a humane approach in life,”. she said “Our film industry can play a part in bringing a progressive and fast developing India, anchored in thousands of years of a rich civilisation, to the minds of viewers,” the President added. Taking note of the best child artiste award to Master Shams Patel, the President expressed the hope this award would make more people aware of the plight of street children.

For Priyanka Chopra it was double celebration as her dad’s music album releases on Saturday.
She said, "My entire family including parents and my grandparents were here for the National Awards ceremony. It’s was a big moment for me and I wanted my entire family to be part of it. On Saturday, my father’s music album releases. So the family has double reason to be together.”

Over the weekend, Priyanka Chopra launched her father Dr Ashok Chopra’s debut devotional music album Haal Mureedan Da Kehna in New Delhi. The album, produced by Saregama India Ltd, has verses from the Guru Granth Sahib.