Being the first Film Awards of India organized by the immensely popular magazine FILMFARE of The Times Group in 1954, the award ceremony enjoys the reputation of a pioneer in the field among many other competitors at the present. And despite facing some clear challenges from many other prominent awards functions organized by few reputed business houses of the country, Filmfare still remains on the top along with its own set of controversies and allegations.
Founded on the lines of OSCARS - The Academy Awards of America, Filmfare awards differed on the grounds of selection procedure followed, where instead of an expert jury the decision came from the viewers themselves through a countrywide popularity poll in its initial years. In fact in its first award ceremony, reportedly the actual presentations were also made by common individuals picked from among those who had actively participated in the poll presented in the magazine.
Following the tradition of the American Academy, the specially designed Filmfare Award Trophy was also given a nick-name “Clare” just like “Oscar” in the west. And it was named in the memory of late Miss Clare Mendonca, film critic of The Times of India who had just passed away the previous year. The artistic statue was designed by N. G. Pansare (a well known sculptor from Bombay) along with Professor Walter Langhammer (Head of Art Department of The TOI) and had a figure of a dancer lost its own musical ecstasy made in solid bronze.
Interestingly, coinciding with the beginning of another movement in the country, Filmfare Awards got introduced in the same year in which the National Film Awards were also proudly announced by the Government of India. But in its first inaugural ceremony, there were only five categories chosen, deservingly won by the talented veterans of our industry as follows.
Best Picture – “Do Bigha Zamin”
Best Director – Bimal Roy for “Do Bigha Zamin”
Best Actor – Dilip Kumar for “Daag”
Best Actress – Meena Kumari for “Baiju Bawra”
Best Song – “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj” from “Baiju Bawra”, music by Naushad
Later more categories were introduced along with a jury too following a dual voting system (Jury + Viewers Choice) in the next few years and at present instead of “Clare” the Filmfare Trophy is more commonly called as "The Black Lady" or "The Lady in Black".
Cheers!
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First FILMFARE Awards and its Trophy in 1954, Did You Know Facts about Hindi Cinema at bobbytalkscinema.com by Bobby Sing, Unknown facts about Hindi Cinema at bobbysing, Rare Facts on Hindi Films, Filmfare Awards and its Clare Trophy, Lady In Black Trophy.
