View source for Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director

{{Short description|Wikimedia list article}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox film award
| name = Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director
| image = 
| image_size = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| subheader = National award for contributions to [[Cinema of India|Indian Cinema]]
| awarded_for = Best debutant directorial work of a year
| sponsor = [[Directorate of Film Festivals]]
| firstawarded = 1980
| lastawarded = 2018
| reward = {{ubl|Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus)|{{INRConvert|125000}}}}
| former name = {{ubl|{{•}}Award for Best First Film of a Director (1980–1983)|{{•}}Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director (1984–2009)}}
| holder_label = Most recent winner
| holder = ''[[Naal (film)|Naal]]''
| award1_type = Total awarded
| award1_winner = 423
| award2_type = First winner
| award2_winner = ''Maina Tadanta''
}}

The '''Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director''' is one of the [[National Film Awards]] presented annually by the [[Directorate of Film Festivals]], the organization set up by [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India]]. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal).

The award was instituted in 1980, at [[28th National Film Awards]]<ref name="28thawardPDF"/> and awarded annually for films produced in the year across the country, in all Indian languages; [[Hindi]] (11 Awards), [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Malayalam]] (8 Awards each), [[Tamil language|Tamil]] (4 Awards), [[Marathi language|Marathi]] (3 Awards), [[Assamese language|Assamese]], [[English language|English]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] (2 each), [[Haryanvi language|Haryanvi]], [[Jasari language|Jasari]], [[Karbi language|Karbi]] and [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]] (1 Each).

Award includes 'Golden Lotus Award' (Swarna Kamal) and cash prize. Award, sometimes, also be given as Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of A Director. Following are the award winners over the years:

== Winners ==

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|bgcolor="#EBEBE0" width=30| ||Indicates a joint award for that year
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%"
! colspan="7" | List of award films, showing the year (award ceremony), language(s), producer(s), director(s) and citation
|-
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:5%;"| Year
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:20%;"| Film(s)
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:10%;"| Language(s)
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:20%;"| Producer(s)
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:20%;"| Director(s)
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:22%;" class="unsortable"| Citation
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EFE4B0;width:3%" class="unsortable" |{{Tooltip|Refs.|Reference}}
|-
| align="center" | [[28th National Film Awards|1980<br>{{small|(28th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''Maina Tadanta''
| [[Bengali language|Bengali]]
| {{dash}}
| [[Utpalendu Chakrabarty]]
| {{hidden||''For depicting with realistic vigor the exploitation perpetrated on the tribal and the landless, for portraying the spirited fight of the downtrodden and for showing great maturity in the conception and presentation of the theme in this maiden venture.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="28thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/28th_nff_1981.pdf|title=28th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[29th National Film Awards|1981<br>{{small|(29th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Aadharshila]]''
| [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| Ashok Ahuja
| Ashok Ahuja
| {{hidden||''For making a bold statement on the aspirations and frustrations of the young generation of film-makers he himself represents and for a very sensitive treatment of the relationship between an idealist director and an inscrutable story-write.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="29thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/29th_nff_1982.pdf|title=29th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[30th National Film Awards|1982<br>{{small|(30th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Kann Sivanthaal Mann Sivakkum]]''
| [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| R. Venkat Raman
| [[Sreedhar Rajan]]
| {{hidden||''For its original interpretation of a deep-rooted social evil, combining folk art with modern cinematic idiom.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="30thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/30th_nff_1983.pdf|title=30th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[31st National Film Awards|1983<br>{{small|(31st)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro]]''
| Hindi
| [[National Film Development Corporation (India)|NFDC]]
| [[Kundan Shah]]
| {{hidden||''For its treatment of contemporary theme with wit and humour.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="31stawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/31st_nff_1984.pdf|title=31st National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=9 December 2011}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[32nd National Film Awards|1984<br>{{small|(32nd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai]]''
| Tamil
| [[Raadhika Sarathkumar|Raadhika Pothan]]
| [[Prathap K. Pothan]]
| {{dash}}
| align="center" |<ref name="32ndawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/32nd_nff_1985.pdf|title=32nd National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=6 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[33rd National Film Awards|1985<br>{{small|(33rd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[New Delhi Times (film)|New Delhi Times]]''
| Hindi
| P. K. Tiwari
| [[Romesh Sharma]]
| {{hidden||''For a bold exposure of a murky world of politics where murder and mayhem are engineered for personal gains and truth becomes a casualty.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="33rdawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/33nfa.pdf|title=33rd National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=7 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[34th National Film Awards|1986<br>{{small|(34th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin]]''
| Hindi
| [[Sudhir Mishra]]
| [[Sudhir Mishra]]
| {{hidden||''For an incisive analysis of history as seen through the eyes of three elderly freedom fighters and its impact on their stand against social injustice in contemporary times.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="34thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/34th_NFF.pdf|title=34th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=7 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[35th National Film Awards|1987<br>{{small|(35th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''Ekti Jiban''
| Bengali
| Chalchitra
| Raja Mitra
| {{hidden||''For a very courageous first attempt of a director in tackling the subject of an individual unwavering in his conviction in the cultural value of his language and single handly making available its enriching value to the generation of his people who will come after him.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="35thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/35th_nff_1988.pdf|title=35th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[36th National Film Awards|1988<br>{{small|(36th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Trishagni]]''
| Hindi
| [[Nabendu Ghosh]]
| [[Nabendu Ghosh]]
| {{hidden||''For excellent exploration of complex philosophical theme for the first time in Indian cinema.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="36thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/36nfa.pdf|title=36th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[37th National Film Awards|1989<br>{{small|(37th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''Wosobipo''
| [[Karbi language|Karbi]]
| Karbi Anglong District Council
| [[Gautam Bora]]
| {{hidden||''For its fresh and original evocation of the collective unconscious of a [[Hill tribes of Northeast India|hill tribe]] whose way of life has been disintegrating over the last four decades, as seen through the eyes of a boy growing up into the responsibilities of manhood.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="37thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/37nfa.pdf|title=37th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=29 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[38th National Film Awards|1990<br>{{small|(38th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Perumthachan (film)|Perumthachan]]''
| [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]
| G. Jayakumar
| [[Ajayan (director)|Ajayan]]
| {{hidden||''For depicting a historical backdrop with authenticity, shattering all traditional beliefs with superlative artistic texture.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="38thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/38th_nff_1991.pdf|title=38th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[39th National Film Awards|1991<br>{{small|(39th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''Haladhar''
| [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| {{*}}Geeti Barua<br>{{*}}Dwijen Hazorika
| Sanjeev Hazorika
| {{hidden||''For its freshness of approach, the subtlety of its pervasive humour and the courage shown in choosing to build a film around a plough.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="39thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/39nd_nff_1985.pdf|title=39th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=27 February 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[40th National Film Awards|1992<br>{{small|(40th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Miss Beatty's Children]]''
| English
| {{*}}[[National Film Development Corporation of India|NFDC]]<br>{{*}}[[Doordarshan]]<br>{{*}}Rooks AV
| [[Pamela Rooks]]
| {{hidden||''For an elegantly simple and sensitive depiction of a British missionary woman who fights the devdasi system in pre-independent India.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="40thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/40th_nff_1993.pdf|title=40th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=2 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[41st National Film Awards|1993<br>{{small|(41st)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''Sunya Theke Suru''
| Bengali
| {{*}}H. Das<br>{{*}}Madhumanti Maitra<br>{{*}}M. Das
| [[Ashoke Viswanathan]]
| {{hidden||''For its creative handling of sensitive subject, exhibiting the socio-political situation of out society, spanning three decades.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="41stawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/41st_nff_1994.pdf|title=41st National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=3 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[42nd National Film Awards|1994<br>{{small|(42nd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Mogamul]]''
| Tamil
| J. Dharmambal
| [[Gnana Rajasekaran]]
| {{hidden||''For an able translation of a literary work of art, for integrating music with melodramatic narrative and for a cinematic simplicity matched with remarkable directorial control.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="42ndawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/42nd_nff_1995.pdf|title=42nd National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=5 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[43rd National Film Awards|1995<br>{{small|(43rd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Kahini (film)|Kahini]]''
| Bengali
| {{*}}Chandramala Bhattacharya<br>{{*}}Malaya Bhattacharya
| Malaya Bhattacharya
| {{hidden||''For its bold and innovative style and choice of a subject in which the form and content merges into one.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="43rdawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/43rd_nff_1996.pdf|title=43rd National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=6 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[44th National Film Awards|1996<br>{{small|(44th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''Rag Birag''
| Assamese
| {{*}}Bhabhen Baruah<br>{{*}}Khanin Baruah
| Bidyut Chakraborty
| {{hidden||''For director's sensitivity in portraying complex human psyche of individual character's in the film.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="44thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/44th_nff_1997.pdf|title=44th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[45th National Film Awards|1997<br>{{small|(45th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Bhoothakkannadi]]''
| Malayalam
| Nair Krishnakumar Unni
| [[A. K. Lohithadas]]
| {{hidden||''For the director's competent handling of the delicate balance of the human psyche.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="45thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/45th_NFA.pdf|title=45th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=11 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[46th National Film Awards|1998<br>{{small|(46th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Daya (film)|Daya]]''
| Malayalam
| C. K. Gopinath
| [[Venu (cinematographer)|Venu]]
| {{hidden||''For its depiction of a delightful fairy-tale-like theme lending exotic sophistication and colour to the unique mosaic of creativity, imagination and style.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="46thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/46_nff_1999.pdf|title=46th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
| align="center" rowspan="2" | [[47th National Film Awards|1999<br>{{small|(47th)}}]]
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Dollar Dreams (film)|Dollar Dreams]]''
| English
| [[Sekhar Kammula]]
| [[Sekhar Kammula]]
| {{hidden||''For tacking in a very natural manner the burning problem of brain drain to the techno-logically developed world.''}}
| align="center" rowspan="2" |<ref name="47thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/47th_nff_2000.pdf|title=47th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=13 March 2012}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Laado]]''
| [[Haryanvi language|Haryanvi]]
| Kumud Chaudhary
| Ashwini Chaudhary
| {{hidden||''For taking a bold stand over women's rights in the traditionally orthodox agricultural community of Haryana.''}}
|-
| align="center" | [[48th National Film Awards|2000<br>{{small|(48th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Sayahnam]]''
| Malayalam
| M. S. Nazeer
| [[R. Sarath]]
| {{hidden||''For the nature and gripping manner in which this young director deals with complex issues like political honesty and nuclear disarmament.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="48thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/48th_nff_2001.pdf|title=48th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=13 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[49th National Film Awards|2001<br>{{small|(49th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Thilaadanam]]''
| [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| [[National Film Development Corporation of India|NFDC]]
| [[K. N. T. Sastry]]
| {{hidden||''For its juxtaposition of two diverse ideologies existing within the same family, the father's belief in his religion and traditions and his son's revolutionary ideology. The film strikes a very fine balance in inter-generational explorations.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="49thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/49th_nff_2002.pdf|title=49th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=14 March 2012}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
| align="center" rowspan="2" | [[50th National Film Awards|2002<br>{{small|(50th)}}]]
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Patalghar]]''
| Bengali
| Niti Sonee Gourisaria
| Abhijit Chaudhuri
| {{hidden||''For its craftsmanship and fine blending of the conventions of science fiction and an indigenous narrative form.''}}
| align="center" rowspan="2" |<ref name="50thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/50nfa.pdf|title=50th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=14 March 2012|pages=18–19}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Prohor]]''
| Bengali
| Debjani Gupta
| Subhadro Chaudhary
| {{hidden||''For its use of sensitive idiom to portray the trauma of a brutalized woman.''}}
|-
| align="center" | [[51st National Film Awards|2003<br>{{small|(51st)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Margam (film)|Margam]]''
| Malayalam
| [[Rajiv Vijay Raghavan]]
| [[Rajiv Vijay Raghavan]]
| {{hidden||''For poignantly capturing the troubled journey of a middle-aged individual reexamining his p0litical past in the light of prevailing socio-political values.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="51stawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/51st_nff_2004.pdf|title=51st National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=15 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[52nd National Film Awards|2004<br>{{small|(52nd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Grahanam]]''
| Telugu
| N. Anji Reddy
| [[Mohan Krishna Indraganti]]
| {{hidden||''For invoking nostalgia in a manner that is powerful yet poetic.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="52ndawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/52nd_nff_2005.pdf|title=52nd National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=28 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[53rd National Film Awards|2005<br>{{small|(53rd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Parineeta (2005 film)|Parineeta]]''
| Hindi
| [[Vidhu Vinod Chopra]]
| [[Pradeep Sarkar]]
| {{hidden||''For the competent directorial style to recreate a classic novel with modern cinematic sensibilities.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="53rdawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/53rd_nff_2006.pdf|title=53rd National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=19 March 2012}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
| align="center" rowspan="2" | [[54th National Film Awards|2006<br>{{small|(54th)}}]]
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Eakantham]]''
| Malayalam
| Anthony Joseph
| [[Madhu Kaithapram]]
| {{hidden||''For sensitively portraying the solitude of two ageing brothers who have lost everyone around them.''}}
| align="center" rowspan="2" |<ref name="54thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/54th_nff_2006.pdf|title=54th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=24 March 2012}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Kabul Express]]''
| Hindi
| [[Aditya Chopra]]
| [[Kabir Khan (director)|Kabir Khan]]
| {{hidden||''For capturing, through the journey of two Indian journalists, the collapse of Taliban in post 9/11 Afghanistan.''}}
|-
| align="center" | [[55th National Film Awards|2007<br>{{small|(55th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Frozen (2007 film)|Frozen]]''
| {{*}}Hindi<br>{{*}}[[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]]
| Shivajee Chandrabhushan
| Shivajee Chandrabhushan
| {{hidden||''For bringing to life with warmth and vivacity life in those distant desolate snow bound heights where existence itself is a fulltime challenge.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="55thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/55th_nff_2007.pdf|title=55th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=26 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[56th National Film Awards|2008<br>{{small|(56th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[A Wednesday!]]''
| Hindi
| [[UTV Software Communications|UTV Motion Pictures]]
| [[Neeraj Pandey]]
| {{hidden||''For slick and searing exposure of the tension below the normal rhythm of life and the angst of the common man in Mumbai.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="56thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/56th_nff_2008.pdf|title=56th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[57th National Film Awards|2009<br>{{small|(57th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Lahore (film)|Lahore]]''
| Hindi
| [[Vivek Khatkar]]
| [[Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan]]
| {{hidden||''For excellent control over the medium and using sport as a metaphor to tell a compelling story.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="57thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/57thNFA.pdf|title=57th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=28 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[58th National Film Awards|2010<br>{{small|(58th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Baboo Band Baaja]]''
| [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| Nita Jadhav
| Rajesh Pinjani
| {{hidden||''For a riveting tale of a father reluctant to educate his son, a mother who fiercely believes in its liberatory value, and the son who is caught in the crossfire, 'Baboo' is an outstanding debut project by director.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="58thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/58_NFA.pdf|title=58th National Film Awards|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=29 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[59th National Film Awards|2011<br>{{small|(59th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Aaranya Kaandam]]''
| Tamil
| [[S. P. B. Charan]]
| [[Thiagarajan Kumararaja]]
| {{hidden||''For a stylized and ironic reinvention of the gangster genre that presents a dazzling map of Chennai's subterranean world of druglords and violence. The director cinematically scrutinizes the landscape of decaying architecture, abandoned factories, old cars and the crisis of masculinity to present a labyrinthine urban dystopia. The city emerges as a wasteland that is simultaneously mundane, shocking and nightmarish.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="59thaward">{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=80734|title=59th National Film Awards for the Year 2011 Announced|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB), India|access-date=7 March 2012}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
| align="center" rowspan="2" | [[60th National Film Awards|2012<br>{{small|(60th)}}]]
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[Chittagong (film)|Chittagong]]''
| Hindi
| [[Bedabrata Pain]]
| [[Bedabrata Pain]]
| {{hidden||''A page from the history of India's independence struggle.  The director has recreated a small town incident which had national impact with consummate artistry in his debut film.''}}
| align="center" rowspan="2" |<ref name="60thaward">{{cite press_release|title=60th National Film Awards Announced|url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2013/mar/d2013031801.pdf|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB), India|access-date=18 March 2013}}</ref>
|- style="background-color:#EBEBE0;"
! scope="row" style="background-color:#E0E0D1" | ''[[101 Chodyangal]]''
| Malayalam
| Thomas Kottackkakom
| [[Sidhartha Siva]]
| {{hidden||''Highly watchable cinematic experience presented through a special relationship between a young precocious child and his conscientious school teacher.  The director in his debut film has done a commendable job in putting forth a topical and sensitive issue.''}}
|-
| align="center" | [[61st National Film Awards|2013<br>{{small|(61st)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Fandry]]''
| Marathi
| {{*}}Navalkha Arts<br>{{*}}Holy Basil Combine
| [[Nagraj Manjule]]
| {{hidden||''A stark and realistic portrayal of Dalits in India seen through the eyes of a young boy who is desperately trying to break age old shackles. It makes a strong statement that despite various reformers doing their best.... much remains to be done.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="61staward">{{cite web|title=61st National Film Awards|url=http://www.dff.nic.in/List%20of%20Awards.pdf|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|date=16 April 2014|access-date=16 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181218/http://www.dff.nic.in/List%20of%20Awards.pdf|archive-date=16 April 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[62nd National Film Awards|2014<br>{{small|(62nd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Asha Jaoar Majhe]]''
| Bengali
| {{*}}For Films<br>{{*}}Salaam Cinema
| [[Aditya Vikram Sengupta]]
| {{hidden||''For the portrayal of routine ordinary life with extraordinary cinematic finesse.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="62ndaward">{{cite press_release|title=62nd National Film Awards|url=http://dff.nic.in/writereaddata/62nd%20National%20Film%20Awards%202014%20-%20Press%20Release.pdf|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|date=24 March 2015|access-date=24 March 2015}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[63rd National Film Awards|2015<br>{{small|(63rd)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Masaan]]''
| Hindi
| [[Phantom Films]]
| [[Neeraj Ghaywan]]
| {{hidden||''For his perceptive approach to film-making in handling a layered story of people caught up changing social and moral values.''}}
| align="center" |<ref name="63rdaward">{{cite press_release|title=63rd National Film Awards|url=http://dff.nic.in/writereaddata/Winners_of_63rd_NFA_2015.pdf|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|date=28 March 2016|access-date=28 March 2016}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[64th National Film Awards|2016<br>{{small|(64th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Alifa]]''
| Bengali
| Amaan Ahmed
| Deep Choudhury
| {{hidden||''It brings out the nuances of a very complex socio-environmental problem.''}}
| align="center" | <ref name="64thaward">{{cite press_release|title=64th National Film Awards|url=http://www.dff.nic.in/writereaddata/NFA64PressNote2016.pdf|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=7 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606051143/http://dff.nic.in/writereaddata/NFA64PressNote2016.pdf|archive-date=6 June 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[65th National Film Awards|2017<br>{{small|(65th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Sinjar (film)|Sinjar]]''
| [[Jeseri|Jasari]]
| Shibu G. Suseelan
| [[Sandeep Pampally|Pampally]]
| {{dash}}
| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | [[66th National Film Awards|2018<br>{{small|(66th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Naal (film)|Naal]]''
| Marathi
| [[Nagraj Manjule]]
| [[Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti]]
| {{hidden||''The film is a poignant message about the ethics of adoption, told through a child’s perspective.''}}
| align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/66th-national-film-awards-andhadhun-kgf-padmaavat-win-the-prestigious-award/articleshow/70604186.cms|title=66th National Film Awards winners' list: 'Andhadhun', 'KGF', 'Padmaavat' win the prestigious award - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/66th-national-film-awards-list-of-winners-1579143-2019-08-09|title=66th National Film Awards: Full winners list|agency=Ist|newspaper=India Today}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | [[67th National Film Awards|2019<br>{{small|(67th)}}]]
! scope="row" | ''[[Helen (2019 film)|Helen]]''
| Malayalam
| [[Vineeth Sreenivasan]]
| Mathukutty Xavier
| {{hidden||''An engaging way of story-telling of a young girl entrapped in a cold storage in the middle of night and the frantic struggle of her lover and father to locate her.''}}
| align="center" |
|-
|}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://dff.nic.in Official Page for Directorate of Film Festivals, India]
* [http://dff.nic.in/NFA_archive.asp National Film Awards Archives]
* [http://imdb.com/Sections/Awards/National_Film_Awards_India/ National Film Awards] at [[IMDb]]

{{National Film Award Best First Film of a Director}}
{{National Film Awards}}

[[Category:National Film Awards (India)]]
[[Category:Directorial debut film awards]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials to Indira Gandhi]]