Monday, August 16, 2004
 
 Popular Bollywood film Munnabhai MBBS topped the list for national awards for best film. The film provided wholesome entertainment, which appealed to the audience. While KOI MIL GAYA grabbed three awards, including one for the best film on social issues. Veteran Bengali filmmaker Gautam Ghose won the best director and screenplay award for his Abra Aranye while Marathi film Shwaas was adjudged the best feature film in the 51st National film Awards 2003, announced on August 14, 2004.

 
Hindi film Pinjar that portrays partition bagged the Nargis Dutt award for best film on national integration, with actor Manoj Bajpai getting a special jury award for his role as 'Rashid' in the film. Sonu Nigam was awarded the best male playback singer award for the title song in Kal Ho Na Ho, which also bagged the best music direction award for Shankar, Ehsaan, and Loy.

The announcement was restricted to features film and best writing on cinema as the government has decided to include video films also in the non-feature film category, an official said.

The following table gives the categories and the winners of 51st National Film Awards.

51st National Film Awards
Best feature film Shwaas (Marathi)
Best director Gautam Ghose for Abar Aranye (Bengali)
Best actor Vikram for Pithamagan (Tamil)
Best actress Meera Jasmine for Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam (Malayalam)
Best popular film Munnabhai MBBS (Hindi)
Best film on social issues Koi Mil Gaya (Hindi)
Best film on national integration (Nargis Dutt award) Pinjar (Hindi)
Special jury award Manoj Bajpai for Pinjar (Hindi)
Best supporting actress Sharmila Tagore for Abar Aranye (Bengali)
Best child actors Arun Chitale for Shwaas (Marathi) Kalidasan for Ente Veedu Appoontem (Malayalam)
Best male playback singer Sonu Nigam for Kal Ho Na Ho (Hindi)
Best female playback singer Tarali Sarma for Akashitorar Kothare (Assamese)
Best music direction Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy for Kal Ho Na Ho (Hindi)
Best Choreographer Farah Khan for Koi Mil Gaya (Hindi)
Best feature film in Kannada Preeti Prema Pranaya (Kannada)
Best feature film in Bengali Chokher Bali (Bengali)
Best debut director award Rajiv Vijay Raghavan for Maargam (Malayalam)
Best book on cinema Ramakrishna for Filmi Jagat Mein Ardhashakti ka Romanch 
Best film critic Saibal Chatterjee

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