Now, National Film Awards to be held May 3 every year

The prestigious National Film Awards ceremony will be held May 3 every year now onwards to commemorate the release date of the first Indian movie "Raja Harishchandra", Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said here Thursday.

"The year 2013 will mark the centenary year of Indian cinema. In 1913, 'Raja Harishchandra' was released. The exact date was May 3, 1913 at Mumbai's Coronation Cinema. I am happy to announce that National Film Awards ceremony will now be held every year on the same date to commemorate the release of that film," Soni said at the 59th edition of the awards gala at Vigyan Bhawan here.

India's first full-length feature film "Raja Harishchandra" was a silent project by Dadasaheb Phalke.