AR Rahman Wins Best Music Director for ‘Ponniyin Selvan: I’ at 70th National Film Awards

Music maestro AR Rahman continues to add to his illustrious career, bagging the Best Music Director (Background Music) award at the 70th National Film Awards for his exceptional work in Mani Ratnam’s epic historical drama, Ponniyin Selvan: I. The awards, which recognize the best in Indian cinema for the year 2022, were announced on Friday in the national capital, with Ponniyin Selvan: I receiving multiple honors.

Ponniyin Selvan: I not only brought home the award for Best Music Director but also clinched the Best Tamil Film award. The film’s outstanding visuals were recognized as well, with Ravi Varman winning the Best Cinematography award for his work on the project.

Directed by the legendary Mani Ratnam, Ponniyin Selvan: I is a grand cinematic adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s iconic Tamil novel, originally published as a series in the 1950s. The film is set in the Chola dynasty and follows the complex political and military dynamics that led to the rise of one of the greatest empires in Indian history. The star-studded cast includes Vikram, Trisha Krishnan, Karthik Sivakumar, Jayam Ravi, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan takes on dual roles in the film, portraying Queen Nandini, the vengeful princess of Pazhuvoor, and Mandakini Devi.

Ponniyin Selvan: I marks the third collaboration between Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and south Indian superstar Vikram, following their critically acclaimed film Raavan in 2010. The film’s release in 2022 was met with widespread acclaim for its storytelling, performances, and technical excellence, further solidifying Mani Ratnam’s reputation as a master filmmaker.

AR Rahman’s evocative background score plays a pivotal role in the film, enhancing the grandeur and emotional depth of the narrative. His ability to blend traditional Indian music with contemporary elements has once again been recognized at the National Film Awards, adding to his long list of accolades.

In addition to Rahman’s success, the 70th National Film Awards also honored Pritam with the award for Best Music Director (Songs) for his work on Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, Brahmastra is the first installment in a planned trilogy set in the Astraverse, a universe filled with ancient Indian mythology and modern-day superheroes. The film’s visual effects were also recognized, winning the award for Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comic).

The storyline of Brahmastra follows Shiva, played by Ranbir Kapoor, a DJ who discovers his unique connection with the element of fire and his power to awaken the Brahmastra, a supernatural weapon capable of destroying the universe. The film’s ensemble cast includes Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, and Nagarjuna Akkineni.

The 70th National Film Awards, announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, were judged by a distinguished jury that included Rahul Rawail (Chairperson of the Feature Film Jury), Nila Madhab Panda (Chairperson of the Non-Feature Film Jury), and Gangadhar Mudaliar (Chairperson of the Best Writing on Cinema Jury).

Among other notable winners, Rishab Shetty was awarded Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Kantara, while Nithya Menen won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her work in Thiruchitrambalam. Pavan Raj Malhotra took home the Best Supporting Actor award, and Neena Gupta won Best Supporting Actress for their roles in the feature films category.

The 70th National Film Awards have once again highlighted the exceptional talent in the Indian film industry, with AR Rahman’s win serving as a testament to his enduring legacy in the world of music and cinema.