National Award-Winning Artists from Tulunadu Arrive in Mangaluru to Warm Reception

By Editor

Posted on September 24, 2026

National Award-Winning Artists from Tulunadu Arrive in Mangaluru to Warm Reception

Mangaluru : Renowned theatre artist Roopashree Varkady, child actor Aatheesh S. Shetty, director Sumanth Bhat, and Dr. Pradeep Kenchanuru from Kundapura, who won the award in the best book on cinema category at the 70th National Film Awards, received a warm welcome upon their arrival at Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday afternoon. Family members, well-wishers, and fans gathered at the airport to greet and honor the awardees.

The Kannada film “Mithya” bagged three prestigious honors at the National Film Awards. The film’s writer and director Sumanth Bhat (Best Debut Film of a Director), child actor Aatheesh S. Shetty (Best Child Artist), and supporting actress Roopashree Varkady received their awards from President Droupadi Murmu during a grand ceremony held in New Delhi on Tuesday. Expressing her delight to the media, Roopashree Varkady stated that winning a national award for artists from Tulunadu brings immense pride and recognition to the Tulu language. She added that she had not anticipated such a massive honor while acting in the film and credited her parents, divine blessings, and the love of the people for this achievement, while promising to take up socially impactful cinema in the future.

Sharing his thoughts, director Sumanth Bhat mentioned that while they initially made movies out of passion, winning a national award significantly increases their responsibility toward cinema. He emphasized that knowing audiences appreciate their work encourages them to focus more on creating meaningful content in upcoming projects. Meanwhile, child actor Aatheesh S. Shetty expressed heartfelt gratitude to his director, co-artists, parents, and college management for their overwhelming support, adding that receiving this honor was an unexpected joy.