Bengaluru : Tulu film ‘Rickshaw Driver’ produced under Sri Muthu Films banner  and directed by H S Rajashekar has bagged best regional language film in the 2013 State film awards announced on Sunday. January 4. 

‘Rickshaw Driver’ was produced by Praveen Kumar Konchady . Popular actor Avinash, Padmaja Rao of ‘Mungaru Male’ fame, Chitra Shenoy and Suresh Mangalore were in the main cast in the movie. Kartik Banjan, Mumbai’s Telugu actress Sara Sharma and Neha Saxena have acted for the first time. Navin D Padil, Arvind Bolar, Bhojaraj Vamanjoor, Satish Bandale have acted in the comedy roles. Russian Belly dancer Jenni has danced in the movie. Wahab Salim has written the script and has provided music in the film. Kaurav Venkatesh is in fights, Madan Harini has provided choreography, Niranjan Babu and Vijay Crasta have shot the movie and Keshava Suvarna is the art director.

Nikhil Manju and Nivedita have been adjudged the best male and female actors, while “Hajj” and “Jatta” have bagged the first and second prizes in the best film category in the 2013 State film awards announced on Sunday.

Veteran actor Srinath and noted director P H Vishwanath have been selected for the prestigious Dr Rajkumar and Puttanna Kanagal awards, respectively. Director and distributor K V Gupta has been selected for the Dr Vishnuvardhan award. Information Minister R Roshan Baig announced the awards at a media conference here. “Hajj” was a Surya Enterprises film. “Jatta” was an Omkar Movies production.

The government had set up a selection committee chaired by G K Govind Rao. Altogether 62 entries were submitted for the awards. The government is planning to give away the awards at a function in Mysuru in February.

Siddeshwara Enterprises’ “Charminar” has bagged the best film award in the commercial entertainment category. Nikhil Manju and Nivedita were adjudged the best for their roles in “Hajj” and “December 1”, respectively. “Prakruti” bagged the third best film award.

The list of other awards is as follows: Best children’s film, “Haadu Hakki Haadu”; social concern film, “Ingale Maarga”; best first film of a director, “Agasi Parlour”; best regional language film, “Rickshaw Driver” (Tulu); best supporting actors, Sharat Lohitashwa (male) and Bhagirathi Bai Kadam (female); best story, Sri Lalite; best dialogue, Nagashekar; best photography, P K H Das; best music director, Poornachandra Tejaswi; best editor, K M Prakash; best child actor (male) Master Pradhyumna; best child actor (female), Baby Shriya; best art director, Ravi; best lyric writer, Arasu Antare; best playback singer (male) Naveen Sajju; and best playback singer (female) Sachina Heggar.