The 60th National Film Awards were announced on Monday at a press conference in New Delhi. Three Tamil movies have bagged awards in various categories.

The National Awards won by Tamil films are the following-

1. Best Feature film (Tamil)- Vazhakku En 18/9
2. Best Make-up Artist: Raja for Vazhakku En 18/9
3. Best Choreography: Birju Maharaj for Vishwaroopam
4. Best Production Design: Lalgudi N. Ilayaraja for Vishwaroopam
5. Best Costume Design: Poornima Ramaswamy for Paradesi

It has won five out of 31 National awards, which is good by any yardstick.

Balaji Sakthivel, director of Vazhakku En 18/9, said : " It is a great moment for my film to win two national awards. I'm happy that my films appealed to the intellectuals as well as the common man."

Lingusamy the producer of the film said : "After I saw the first copy of Vazhakku En 18/9, I was was confident that it is a film that will be appreciated by all including the critics. It is a very happy moment in my life as a producer to go and receive the award from the President of India."

"Vazakkuenn 18/9," which received critical acclaim, has received the best Tamil film award. The movie, directed by Balaji Sakthivel, is a love story unfolding a horrific tragedy and an unforgiving system.

The movie has also received the award for Best Make-Up Artiste - Raja.

Kamal Haasan's "Vishwaroopam" has bagged two awards. The film has received awards for the best production design - Boontawee 'Thor' Taweepasas and Lalgudi N. Ilayaraja - as well as the best choreography award for Pandit Birju Maharaj.

"Vishwaroopam," is a spy thriller flick released in January. The movie was embroiled in a controversy with some Muslim groups, which delayed its release date by two weeks. However, the movie has been doing well at the box office grossing more than ₹200 crores. With the movie bagging two national awards, Kamal and his fans are sure to be thrilled.

Just barely three days into its release, Bala's "Paradesi" has also bagged a national award. The movie has won Best Costume Designer Award - Poornima Ramaswamy - appreciating her eye for detail in costume design and giving a look of authenticity in the movie.

"Paradesi" is set in the pre-independent era. It is based on real life incidents and deals with the enslaved tea plantation workers living in Munnar in late 1930s. The movie is an adaptation from "Eriyum Panikadu," a Tamil translation of the 1969 novel "Red Tea" by Paul Harris Daniel.