Our Bureau
New Delhi
The 71st National Film Awards for Indian cinema were announced in New Delhi on August 1, 2025, recognizing outstanding achievements in films certified between January 1 and December 31, 2023. The Hindi film “12th Fail” won the prestigious Best Feature Film award. Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey shared the Best Actor award, with Khan honored for his role in “Jawan” and Massey for “12th Fail.” Rani Mukerji received the Best Actress award for her performance in “Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway” marking a significant career milestone for all the winners.
Directed by Sudipto Sen, “The Kerala Story” won Best Director. The film also achieved accolades including Best Cinematography, and the film “Sam Bahadur” received awards for Best Make-Up Artist and Best Costume Design. Other notable winners included Urvashi and Janaki for Best Supporting Actress, and Vijayaraghavan and Mutthupettai Somu Bhaskar sharing Best Supporting Actor honors.
“Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani” was awarded Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, while “Sam Bahadur” was recognized for promoting national and social values. Regional film awards highlighted productions like “Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery” for Best Hindi Film, “Rongatapu 1982” (Assamese), and “Vash” (Gujarati). The awards also recognized excellence across various fields including screenwriting, sound design, choreography, and playback singing.
The jury was chaired by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, who himself has previously won multiple National Film Awards. The awards celebrated a diverse range of Indian cinema, spotlighting films from multiple languages and demonstrating the industry’s vibrant cultural representation.
The National Film Awards, first established in 1954, continue to be the highest recognition for Indian films, honoring artistic and technical excellence and fostering the growth of Indian cinema nationally and internationally.
