NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee has said filmmakers should make a concerted effort to distinguish between what clearly is an art form and what is not and the cinematic content of films should have a desirable impact on the social behaviour of people, especially the new generation.

Speaking after presenting the Dadasaheb Phalke award to poet-lyricist-filmmaker Gulzar and the 61st National Film Awards for 2013 over the weekend, Mukherjee said: "Faced with erosion of values in today's context, cinema should play a catalytic role in resetting our moral compass. Our filmmakers should deploy their creative efforts to present and propagate core values such as patriotism, respect for women, compassion and tolerance, and honesty and discipline. I am hopeful that everyone associated with the film industry will use their talent and artistic pursuits to create meaningful and socially relevant cinema."

Cinema has played a critical role in highlighting social and political issues of concern as well as exposing the deficiencies in our political system. It is an industry which has provided opportunities for many to rise from rag to riches. He called upon the film industry to nurture and strengthen its openness, pluralism and inclusiveness and disseminate the same throughout the country.

He added: "India's media and entertainment industry is today at the cusp of a transformation. It is poised to leapfrog into a completely digital landscape. Indian cinema connects with millions of people – within the country and abroad, directly through theatres, close to two thousand multiplexes and through TV as well as the Internet. In 2013, the Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry registered a growth of 11.8 per cent over 2012 and did a gross business of around Rs. 92,000 crore. The industry is expected to register a compound annual growth rate of 14.2 per cent to touch Rs. 1.8 lakh crore by 2018."

Earlier, Gulzar who is turning eighty later this year was given a standing ovation as he went up to the dais of the tastefully decorated Vigyan Bhavan to receive his award for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema. The presentation was preceded by a short show reel into his work, and included tributes paid to him by several cine artistes. The award consists of a Swarn Kamal (Golden Lotus), a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs and a shawl.

Speaking after receiving the award, Gulzar
paid a tribute when he described the film field as the only industry after the Armed Forces which totally secular and welcomed all.

He said his honour belonged to scores of film personalities like the late Bimal Roy and Sachin Dev Barman who had given him the right chances at the right times and even younger talent like Shankar Ehassn Loy and A R Rahman. Many like R D Burman, Madan Mohan, and Lamikant were no more. But one could not always live in nostalgia had to move on.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari agreed with Gulzar and said cinema was the great unifier. He said the National Film Awards were reflective of the heterogeneity of the film industry which was a confluence of many Indian languages. These awards were truly a tribute to the diversity of thought, and recognition of excellence.

The winners of the Best Male playback singer – Rupankar – and Best Female Playback singer Bela Shende rendered their award winning songs 'E Tumi Kemon Tumi' from the film Jaatishwar (Bengali) and 'Khura Khura' from the film 'Tuhya Dharma Koncha (Marathi)' respectively.