tirupati l tuesday l march 23, 2021 l `7.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION kangana Ranaut Nani manoj bajpayee navin nooli Rich pickings for southern cinema at National Film Awards E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e T he 67th National Awards for films that were submitted in 2019, were announced on Monday, following a year’s delay owing to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a huge haul for South Indian cinema in all the major categories, with more than 15 films from the region being recognised in the awards. While Malayalam cinema led the pack with seven wins, Tamil cinema followed closely with six, Telugu with three, and Kannada with one. The Malayalam epic, Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (Malayalam), that is awaiting its release, and the Telugu action drama, Maharshi, won the big two awards: Best Film and Best Popular Film, with the latter also winning for Raju Sundar- am his second National Award for Best Choreography Jersey, . which was awarded the Best Telugu Film, also bagged the Best Editor award for Naveen Nooli. The film is a heart-rending take on the life of a failed cricketer who yearns to retain the respect of his son. In the acting categories, D h a nu s h ’s t u r n i n Ve t rimaaran’s Asuran, as an op- pressed elderly man, fighting for his family in a caste-afflicted society won him his second , National Award for Best Actor (following his first for Aadukalam by the same director). This Jersey best Telugu film Jersey starring Nani bagged the Best Telugu Film Award, while Mahesh Babu starrer Maharshi (Raju Sundaram) won the Best Choreography Award is an award he will share with Manoj Bajpayee (Bhonsle), who has won a National Award for the third time, with both of his previous wins coming for a supporting act. Bajpayee’s masterful perfor mance in Devashish Makhija’s bitingly political film, stands testament to the adage that less is more. Vijay Sethupathi won his first National Award for Super Deluxe for his supporting act as a helpless transgender wom- an called Shilpa, who grapples with humiliation and guilt. It was a first for Tamil composer Imman, too, as he won the Best Music Director award for his work in Viswasam. Naga Vishal was bestowed the Best Child Actor award for his role in KD Karuppu Durai. While Marakkar also won awards for Special Effects (Siddharth Priyadarshan) and Costumes (Sujith Sudhakaran and V Sai), Mathukutty Xavi- er’s debut directorial, Helen, bagged two awards: Best Film by a Debutant and Best Makeup (Ranjith). Meanwhile, Kannada filmmaker Vikram Mor won the award for Best Action Direction for Avane Srimannarayana. For the first time after 2000, a Malayalam film has won the award for Best Lyricist (Prabha Varma for Kolaambi). The visually breathtaking Jallikattu won an award for Gireesh Gangadharan.  P5 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ WARANGAL ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Second Covishield shot in 6-8 weeks better: Centre Schools in State to run half-day from April 1 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e Accepts recommendations of expert panels who align themselves with the global view that delaying the shot has beneficial outcome S u m i S u k a n ya D u t ta @ New Delhi If you are waiting for your second jab of the Covid-19 vaccine Covishield, you’ll be better protected if you take it between the sixth and eighth weeks of the first shot, and not after four-six weeks as is the practice now. That has been the international consensus, and expert panels back home have now aligned themselves with that view. Based on the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization and subsequently by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 vaccine, the Centre on Monday directed all states to increase the interval between two doses of Covishield. In fact, scientific evidence from some countries shows that while the vaccine is about 60-65% effective at a gap of four weeks, it can be up to 90% effective against infection when administered at an interval of 12 weeks. But India’s expert panels chose a more conservative gap of eight weeks. The directions by the Centre apply immediately, which means all beneficiaries who have taken the first dose but are due for the second, ought to follow the new advisory . Since the launch of the Covid-19 vaccination drive on January 16, the Covishield devel- oped by AstraZeneca-Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, has been its mainstay For, . nearly 90% of the vaccine doses administered so far are of Covishield. Based on evidence from several countries, the WHO had in early February said that the two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine should be given at a gap of 8-12 weeks. Incidentally , AstraZeneca’s large-scale clinical trial in the US showed that the jab is 79% effective against asymptomatic infection and 100% against severe disease. The Centre’s advisory does not apply to Covaxin, the vaccine developed by Hyderabadbased Bharat Biotech. @ Vijayawada Annadanam in major temples suspended With the spurt in Covid-19 cases in the State, the Endowments Department has suspended Nitya Annadanam in major temples. P Arjuna Rao, Endowments Special Commissioner, issued an order on Monday, directing Durga temple, Dwarka Tirumala, Srisailam, Annavaram, Simhachalam and other temples to suspend Nitya Annadanam to pilgrims with immediate effect. However, the temples will distribute Anna Prasadam in packets to devotees through counters by strictly adhering to Covid guidelines. Pawar poser on timeline to back minister E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Mumbai A day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar said former Mumbai Police commissioner Parambir Singh’s allegations of extortion against state home minister Anil Deshmukh were serious, he sought to question the timeline mentioned in express read YSRC MPs walk out from RS against VSP privatisation Visakhapatnam: YSRC MPs staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha on Monday during a debate on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation Amendment) Bill protesting against the Centre’s decision on 100 per cent strategic divestment of the government’s stake in Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Fuel tax mop up 45% more in 10 months than full FY20 New Delhi: If there were any doubts left over whether fuel taxes have become the government’s prized cash cow, the finance ministry’s reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday serves to quash most of them. Excise duty collections from fuel and natural gas in the first 10 months of this financial year (FY21) are already 45% higher than collections recorded during the whole of FY20 TS hikes govt staff salary by 30%, raises retirement age to 61 Hyderabad: The Telangana State government employees will get 30 per cent hike in their pay from April 1, 2021. Making a statement on the first Pay Revision Commission (PRC) report in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced enhancement of retirement age of government employees from 58 to 61 years with immediate effect Singh’s recent ‘letter bomb’ while stoutly defending his minister. While Singh letter says the now arrested assistant inspector Sachin Waze was called by Deshmukh to his official residence “in and around mid-February and thereafter” to instruct him on extorting `100 crore per month, Pawar ar- gued it was incorrect as the minister was hospitalised from February 5 to 15 after testing positive for Covid-19. “After discharge, Deshmukh was in home quarantine for the next 10 days in Nagpur. There is no way Waze could have met him in Mumbai then,” NCP chief Sharad Pawar said. Sharad Pawar The spike in Covid cases and the rise in temperature with the advent of summer have prompted the School Education Department to run schools for half-day from April 1. Announcing this here on Monday Education Minis, ter Audimulapu Suresh said the schools will function from 7:45 am to 12:30 pm for students of class I to X. Mid-day meal will be served to students at 12.30 pm. All the schools have been instructed to implement Covid guidelines strictly to curb the spread of virus, besides conducting tests for students. Teachers should lay emphasis on sending students home safely after the end of school, the Education Minister said. Minister for BC Welfare Ch Venu Gopala Krishna held a review meeting with officials on steps to be taken to contain the spread of coronavirus in BC welfare schools and hostels. The officials should ensure that students strictly adhere to Covid norms to protect them from contracting the virus, he said. Meanwhile, the State government has decided to take up a 15-day campaign to promote awareness on Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and importance of vaccination to the people of eligible age groups. “This awareness campaign will be taken up with a larger goal of containing and controlling infection in the State, thereby preventing any further increase in Covid-19 cases,” stated a GO issued by the government on Monday . RINL, unions told to avert VSP strike E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam Regional Labour Commissioner SK Mohanty on Monday convened a conciliation meeting with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), and five workers unions, which served an indefinite strike notice protesting against the Centre’s move to privatise the plant. He said the meeting was convened following a request made by RINL to advise the unions to refrain from going on strike from March 25. Leaders of Steel Plant Employees Union (CITU), Visakha Steel Employees Congress (INTUC), Visakha Steel Workers Union ( AI T U C ) , Vi s a k h a U k k u Shramik Sangh (TNTUC) and United Steel Employees Union (CFTUI) attended the meet. P5