Summary:
New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) Cinema plays a major role in building a better society and nation, said President Droupadi Murmu at the 68th National Film Awards ceremony here on Friday.
Addressing a gathering after presenting the awards, she said as an audio-visual medium, the influence of films is much wider than other art forms.
"Being an audio-visual medium, the impact of film is more extensive than all other mediums.
Drama used to be the most influential audio visual art-medium since ancient times.
"Cinema is not only an industry, it is also a medium of artistic expression of our culture and values ??of life.
It is also a medium for connecting our society and nation-building," the president said at the ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan.
Citing the example of Richard Attenborough"s 1982 movie "Gandhi", she said films based on Indian values and personalities can also do good business.
"I believe that good films based on Indian ideals and characters are also successful from the point of view of business...
The film earned huge success globally, including in India.
The biggest success of that film is that through it the respect for the ideals of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, became more widespread in the world community," she added.
Murmu congratulated the winners of the National Film Awards and Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient, cinema veteran Asha Parekh.
"I heartily congratulate all the winners of the 68th National Film Awards ceremony.
I especially congratulate Asha Parekh ji, who has made an extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema, on being given the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
"Asha Parekh ji earned immense love from the audience.