The government is planning to implement several projects to commemorate 2013 as the centenary year of Indian cinema. This was disclosed by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni at the 59th National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi yesterday. She said, a National Heritage Mission to digitalise and restore all audio and video tapes of Indian films will be set up. Mrs Soni said, 500 crore rupees have been set aside in the 12th Five Year Plan for the National Heritage mission. She also mentioned the setting up of a museum of Indian cinema. She said it will be housed in the Films Division Complex in Mumbai. Mrs Soni said India’s first full length feature film Raja Harishchandra was released on 3rd May 1913 at Mumbai’s Coronation Cinema. Mrs soni said, to commemorate the release of India’s first film, the National Film Awards Ceremony will now on be held on 3rd of May every year.

Vice President Hamid Ansari today gave away the 59th National Film Awards. Speaking on the occasion, Vice President said selection of two films in regional languages as the Best Feature Films, was an achievement for the regional film industry. Complimenting the Dada Sahab Phalke Award winner Soumtira Chatterjee, the Vice President said the partnership of Chatterjee with Satyajit Ray could be counted as a memorable director-actor combination in the history of cinema.