Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey Named Best Actors at 71st National Film Awards
New Delhi: The 71st National Film Awards were announced in the capital on Thursday evening, with the Hindi film 12th Fail taking home the coveted Best Film Award, marking a major triumph for socially resonant cinema.
Chairman of the Feature Film Jury, renowned filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, announced that actors Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) and Vikrant Massey (12th Fail) have been jointly awarded Best Actor, recognising their compelling performances in two contrasting genres. Rani Mukerji received the Best Actress award for her powerful portrayal in Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway.
In the Non-Feature Film category, Jury Chairperson P. Sheshadri revealed that Flowering Man, directed by Soumyajit Ghosh Dastidar, has bagged the Best Non-Feature Film award. Piyush Thakur was honoured with Best Direction, while the documentary God, Vulture and Human won in the Best Documentary category.
Karan Johar’s multistarrer Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was adjudged Best Popular Film for Wholesome Entertainment, and Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur received the award for Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values.
In the music segment, G.V. Prakash Kumar won Best Music Direction for his work in the Tamil film Vaathi. Shilpa Rao and PVN S Rohit were named Best Playback Singers for their performances in Jawan (Hindi) and Baby (Telugu), respectively.
Other notable recognitions include:
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Pookalam (Malayalam) for Best Editing
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Naal 2 (Marathi) for Best Children’s Film
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The Kerala Story for Best Cinematography
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Utpal Dutta as Best Film Critic
The awards, showcasing a diverse range of talent and regional storytelling, once again reaffirmed the strength of Indian cinema in blending entertainment with powerful social narratives.
