"I'm thrilled to hear about this" producer of Preethi Prema Pranaya Mr. Mano Murthy told viggy.com. Yes, Kavitha Lankesh's directorial film PPP has won the Best Regional Film award in the 51st National Film Award this year. Chairman of the jury Basu Chatterjee announced this award today at 4.00 p.m. at Delhi. Actress Sumalatha and Mohan Kumar Kondajji were among the juries from Karnataka.




Film Preethi Prema Pranaya directed by Kavitha Lankesh has won the best regional film award while actor Dattanna got the special mention award for his extraordinary performance in Mouni directed by Lingadevaru. Preethi Prema Pranaya that deals with three generation portraying love in their perspective. It is a symbolic representation to show the need of love in everybody's life be it a teenager or an old person. Kavitha Lankesh who directed mainly art films so far like Deveri and Bimba directed a commercial film PPP for the first time and won this award. Mano Murhty and his friends Ramprasad, Renuka Ramappa and Someshkar together produced this film under Indo Hollywood banner. Though it's not a film of commercial success, had received great appreciations and made it in the National level. "I'm really excited about this. We took the bold step of making a film on such subject. This award is a reflection of hard work and dedication of all that went into Preethi Prema Pranaya. I will make it a point to be in India for the award ceremony" said the proud producer Mano Murthy while talking to viggy.com. Another producer of the film Mr. Ram Prasad expressed his happiness for winning this prestigious award. It's the second national award for Kavitha Lankesh's film where her earlier film Deveri was a National Award winner too. Even actor Dattanna bagged the award for the second time while Munnudi was his first film to win the Best Actor National Award.

P.N. Srinivas, another NRI (rooted in Karnataka) is the winner of Special Mention award for his Kannada book 'Chalana Chitra Nirdeshaka'

Other Kannada films in the league were Chigurida Kanasu (Nagabharana), Pravaha (Ramdas Naidu), Amasa (Shivarudraiah) and Mouni (Lingadevru).

This year it is Malayalam films that swept the awards in South. Here is the list: