India's prestigious 71st National Film Awards ceremony was held in New Delhi on September 23, where President Droupadi Murmu honored artistes for their exceptional work in Indian cinema. The winners included Mohanlal, Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, Rani Mukerji, and Karan Johar, among others.
The President said that cinema is not just an industry; it is also a powerful medium for raising awareness in society and the nation and making citizens more sensitive.
After over 30 years in the film industry, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan finally received his first National Film Award for Best Actor. He received the award for his performance in Atlee's directorial 'Jawan', which was released in theatres in September 2023.
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan received the award for 'Jawan' (Photo courtesy: X@rashtrapatibhvn)
Vikrant Massey dedicated the award to the marginalized people in society. (Photo courtesy: X@rashtrapatibhvn)
Vikrant Massey was also felicitated with the National Film Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for 12th Fail, based on the true story of Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame immense challenges to clear the UPSC exam and become an IPS officer. A few hours after the announcement in August, Vikrant, in a press statement, expressed his happiness, dedicating the award to “marginalized people.”
“I dedicate this award to all the marginalized people in our society -- those who are often looked through, and those who are fighting the socio-economic paradigm of our country every single day,” he shared.
Rani Mukerji, who bagged her first-ever National Film Award nearly 30 years after entering the film industry, was also honored. The award, for the Best Actress, was announced for her performance in 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway'.
The event this week was organized by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) and featured a structured jury system, with regional committees feeding into a central committee chaired by Ashutosh Gowariker for the Feature Film category. The awards aim to celebrate the artistic and technical achievements of Indian cinema without public bias, maintaining a formal presentation.
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OTHER TOP HONORS Best Director: Sudipto Sen/'The Kerala Story' Best Film: 'Sam Bahadur' Best Child Artistes: Bhargav Sunita Rantakant Jagtap, Srinivas, Treesha and Kabir Shashi. Best Dialogues: Deepak Kingrani/'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai' Best Playback singer: Shilpa Rao/ 'Jawan'. Best Music Director: GV Prakash/'Vaathi' Best Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant/'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' |
