Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Aamir & SRK for National Award


Bollywood film-stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan are pitted against each other in the best actor category for the National Film Awards for 2007. Shah Rukh Khan has been nominated for his role as Kabir Khan in Chak De India — the man who as coach turns a shattered women’s hockey team into world champions.

Aamir Khan will compete with his subtle performance in Taare Zameen Par, a movie depicting the unique problems of dyslexic children. Khan played a school teacher who helps a dyslexic child, played by Darsheel Safari, to overcome the difficulties posed by his disability. Safari has been nominated for best child actor.

I&B Minister Ambika Soni is likely to announce the awards next week. President Pratibha Patil will give the awards in Delhi in October this year. Neither of the Khans has ever won the national award for best actor. Apart from best actor, Aamir Khan has also been nominated for another category, as producer. His film Taare Zameen Par has been nominated for best film by a jury headed by film-maker Sai Paranjpe.

Shah Rukh Khan is in the race for more feathers in his cap. His home production Om Shanti Om has been nominated under the category best feature film for wholesome entertainment. Here the film finds a rival in Bollywood film Jab We Met, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. There were over 100 feature films, Bollywood and regional, competing for the highest honours. The jury has short-listed about 30 movies under different categories.

The awards for films released in 2007 are being given this year because this annual feature was delayed by a year as those for 2005 had been challenged in court by documentary film-maker Anand Patwardhan.