71st National Film Awards: Celebrating the Best of Indian Cinema
The 71st National Film Awards honor the finest in Indian cinema for films certified during 2023. The awards were announced on 1 August 2025 by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and the ceremony was held on 23 September 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, where the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, presented the honors.
With 332 entries in the feature film category and 115 in non-feature films, along with submissions in literature/criticism, the jury evaluated works across languages and artistic domains.
This edition of the National Awards was notable for several “firsts” and landmark wins — from Shah Rukh Khan’s first National Award to regional films getting wide recognition.
Below is a deep dive into the winners, jury, highlights, and key takeaways.
(71st National Film Awards – Dadasaheb Phalke Award (Lifetime)- Mohanlal)
Jury & Selection Process
- Films certified between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 by the Central Board of Film Certification were eligible.
- The selection process spanned feature, non-feature, and writing on cinema categories.
- The jury for Dadasaheb Phalke Award included Mithun Chakraborty, Shankar Mahadevan, and Ashutosh Gowariker.
Major Highlights & Trends
| Highlight | Details |
|---|---|
| Most Awards by Films | Animal, Parking, and Sam Bahadur each won 3 awards (the highest this year) |
| First National Awards | Shah Rukh Khan (Best Actor for Jawan) and Rani Mukerji (Best Actress for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway) got their first National Awards. |
| Regional Cinema Shine | Gujarati film Vash won Best Gujarati Feature; significant wins across Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Odia, etc. |
| Lifetime Honor | Malayalam superstar Mohanlal received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. |
| Shared Awards | Best Actor was shared between Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey |
(71 national film award – Best Actress (Leading) – Rani Mukherji)
71st National Film Awards – Full Winners List
Below is a curated list of major awards and regional categories. (For the complete detailed list, refer to the official citation or appendix.)
| Category | Winner(s) | Film(s) / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award (Lifetime) | Mohanlal | |
| Best Feature Film (Golden Lotus) | 12th Fail | Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra |
| Best Actor (Leading) | Shah Rukh Khan / Vikrant Massey | Jawan / 12th Fail (shared) |
| Best Actress (Leading) | Rani Mukerji | Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway |
| Best Direction | Sudipto Sen | The Kerala Story |
| Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Vijayaraghavan; Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar | Pookkalam; Parking |
| Best Supporting Actress | Urvashi; Janaki Bodiwala | Ullozhukku; Vash |
| Best Music Direction (Songs / BGM) | G. V. Prakash Kumar / Harshavardhan Rameshwar | Vaathi (songs) / BGM |
| Best Male Playback Singer | P.V.N. S. Rohit | Baby (Telugu) |
| Best Female Playback Singer | Shilpa Rao | Jawan (Hindi) |
| Best Cinematography | Prasanthanu Mohapatra | The Kerala Story (Cinematographer) |
| Best Editing | Midhun Murali | Pookkalam |
| Best Sound Design | Sachin Sudhakaran, Hariharan Muralidharan | Animal |
| Best Production Design | Mohandas | 2018 – Everyone is a Hero |
| Best Make-up | Shrikanth Desai | Sam Bahadur |
| Best Costume Design | Sachin, Divya, Nidhhi | Sam Bahadur |
| Best Debut Film of a Director | Ashish Avinash Bende | Aatmapamphlet |
Regional Language Film Awards (Some Picks)
- Best Hindi Film: Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery
- Best Telugu Film: Bhagavanth Kesari
- Best Tamil Film: Parking
- Best Gujarati Film: Vash
- Best Odia Film: Pushkara
( 71st National Film Awards – Best Actor (Leading) – Shah Rukh Khan)
Analysis & Insights
- Mainstream meets merit
This edition signals a bridging of commercial cinema and critical recognition. Big names like Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji get honored, but regional and smaller films also shine, reinforcing the Awards’ balanced approach. - Shared awards — a trend
The Best Actor award being shared is notable — reflecting comparable performances and the jury’s willingness to recognize equals. - Strong technical & music presence
Films like Animal, Parking, and Sam Bahadur dominated in technical categories like sound, design, and costumes — showing that craft is as valued as star power. - Regional diversity
The spread of awards across languages (Gujarati, Tamil, Odia, etc.) highlights the national scope of the Awards. - First-time laureates
Some winners received their first National Award after long careers (e.g., SRK), which generates considerable public interest and media attention.
