Veteran Bengali filmmaker Gautam Ghose won the best director and screenplay award for his Abar Aranye while Marathi film Shwaas was adjudged the best feature film in the 51st National film Awards 2003, announced on Saturday.

Popular Hindi film Munnabhai MBBS got the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment, even as Koi Mil Gaya grabbed three awards, inculding one for the best film on social issues.

Hindi film Pinjar portraying 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.  

Tamil actor Vikram was adjudged the best actor for his role in Pithamagan, while Malayalam film actress Meera Jasmine won the best actress award for her role in Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam even as Bollywood star of yesteryears Sharmila Tagore bagged the best supporting actress award for her role in Abar Aranye.

Child actor Arun Chitale, who gave a touching performace as a child about to lose his vision in Shwaas walked away with the honours in the category alongwith Kalidasan in Malayalam film Ente Veedu Appoontem.

Bengali film Chokher Bali, which was in strong contention for the best film, walked away with three awards, including the best feature film in Bengali, best art direction and best costume designs.

Hindi singer Sonu Nigam got the best male playback singeraward for the title song in 'Kal ho na ho', which also bagged the best music direction award for Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy.

Bollywood Choreographer Farah Khan was adjudged best for her dance in the song Main idhar chala, main udhar chala in Koi Mil Gaya, that also won the award in the best special effects category.

Rajiv Vijay Raghavan won the best debut director award for his Malayalam movie Maargam, while Tarali Sarma was crowned best female playback singer for her rendition in Akashitorar Kothare in Assamese.    

The announcement today 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 award for the best book on cinema was bagged by Ramakrishna for his book Filmi Jagat Mein Ardhashakti ka Romanch while award for the best film critic went to journalist Saibal Chatterjee for 'refreshing style of writing incisive, bold and realistic criticism of the film industry'.