The 71st National Film Awards were announced on Friday evening, marking a historic milestone for Indian cinema as two of its biggest icons, Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, received their first National Awards for acting in their illustrious careers. Shah Rukh Khan, who has been a dominant figure in Bollywood for over 33 years, had previously received the Padma Shri and two prestigious French civilian honors. However, this year he finally clinched his first National Film Award as an actor, recognizing his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
Similarly, Rani Mukerji, known for her powerful performances and versatility, also received this coveted honor for the first time, further cementing her legacy in the industry.
This year’s Best Hindi Feature Film was awarded to 12th Fail, produced and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. In a rare achievement, the Best Actor in Mainstream Hindi Cinema was jointly awarded to Shah Rukh Khan for Jawan and Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail.
Rani Mukerji took home the Best Actress award for her compelling portrayal in Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway. Sania Malhotra was also recognized as Best Actress for her role in Kathal.
In directing, Sudipto Sen earned the Best Director award for The Kerala Story. Supporting actor honors went to Vijay Raghavan for Phoolkalam and Mathupettai Samu Bhaskar for Parking. The Best Supporting Actress award was shared by Janki Badiwala for Vaas and Urvashi for Ullozhukku.
The award for Best Choreography in a Popular Entertainment Film was given to Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, while Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery was named Best Hindi Film overall.
In regional cinema, Deepfreeze, a Bengali film directed by Arjun Dutta and starring Abir Chatterjee and Tonushree Chakraborty, was awarded Best Bengali Film. Sam Bahadur, directed by Meghna Gulzar, received recognition for portraying national and social values. The Kerala Story was honored for Best Cinematography in a Hindi film.
Additional awards included Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai for Best Dialogue Writing, PVN Rohit for Best Male Playback Singer for “Premisthunna” from Baby (Telugu, 2023), GV Prakash Kumar for Best Music Director for Vaathi, and Sam Bahadur for Best Makeup.
Shilpa Rao won Best Female Playback Singer for “Chaleya” from Jawan, while Swanand Kirkire received Best Lyrics for a song from Fandry. Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani also took home the award for Best Choreography, with Vaibhavi Merchant recognized for the song “Dhindhora Baje Re.” Additionally, Sam Bahadur earned the Best Costume Design award.
This year’s awards celebrate a diverse array of talents and mark a significant moment for Indian cinema’s most celebrated actors.
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