Bollywood celebrities celebrate their long-awaited achievement at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony
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The 71st National Film Awards, a prestigious government-backed honour recognising excellence across all Indian cinema languages and genres, were announced in New Delhi. This year, the spotlight shone brightly on several films and actors, with "12th Fail" taking home the coveted Best Feature Film award.
A notable highlight was the shared Best Actor award, won by Shah Rukh Khan for his role in "Jawan" and Vikrant Massey for his performance in "12th Fail". This marked the first National Film Award for both actors. Rani Mukerji, too, claimed her first National Award, winning Best Actress for her powerful portrayal in "Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway".
Sudipto Sen's "The Kerala Story" bagged the Best Director award, while Meghna Gulzar's "Sam Bahadur" was honoured for Best Film Promoting National, Social Values. Another standout winner was "Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani", which received the award for Best Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Several other films and individuals were recognised for their contributions to Indian cinema. Aanand L Rai expressed joy upon Ashish winning the National Award for Best Debut Director for "Aatmapamphlet". Sam Bahadur's success was celebrated by Meghna Gulzar, who expressed feelings of serenity upon winning the National Award for the film.
Vikrant Massey called winning the National Award a dream-come-true moment and expressed privilege at sharing it with Shah Rukh Khan. Sanya Malhotra found this recognition for "Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery" encouraging to continue choosing meaningful cinema. Director Yashowardan Mishra felt he was living a dream upon winning for "Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery".
Producer Bhushan Kumar of T-Series was honoured by multiple wins, including awards for "Animal", "Jawan", and "Aatmapamphlet". Vaibhavi Merchant won Best Choreography for "Dhindhora Baaje" in "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani". Each recognition for T-Series reflects the dedication and creative spirit of their teams.
Rani Mukerji expressed gratitude for winning the National Award, stating that it is a validation of her 30-year body of work. Urvashi and Janaki/Janki Bodiwala shared the Best Supporting Actress award, while Vijayaraghavan and Mutthupettai Somu Bhaskar were named Best Supporting Actor. Other winners included "Flowering Man" for Best Non-Feature Film and "God Vulture and Human" for Best Documentary Film.
The National Film Awards continue to be a beacon of recognition for the best of Indian cinema, celebrating the hard work and talent of filmmakers, actors, and technicians across the country.
References:
- Times of India
- Hindustan Times
- India Today
- Wikipedia
The Best Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment award went to the film "Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani", placing it among the winners at the 71st National Film Awards. The prestigious ceremony, recognizing excellence in Indian cinema, saw "Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway" also receiving accolades for its powerful portrayal, with Rani Mukerji claiming her first National Award for Best Actress.
