National Film Awards 2025: Rani Mukerji nabs her inaugural National Film Award in the Best Actress category for her portrayal in Mrs. Chatterjee versus Norway
The 71st National Film Awards have been making waves in the Indian cinema industry, with Rani Mukerji's award-winning performance in "Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway" being a standout moment.
Mukerji was honoured with the Best Actress award for her emotional portrayal of Debika Chatterjee, a mother who goes through a harrowing custody battle in Norway. The prestigious panel of juries, which included filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker, decided the awards, and their decision was submitted to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and L. Murugan.
"Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway" is based on a real-life custody battle and also stars Bengali actor Anirban Bhattacharya, Neena Gupta, and Jim Sarbh. The film is currently trending, and Mukerji's heartfelt performance is a significant reason for its popularity.
Shah Rukh Khan also made a notable appearance at the awards, receiving his first National Award for his performance in the film "Jawan." The film, along with "12th Fail," in which Vikrant Massey won his first National Award, were among the prominent winners.
Other notable winners include "Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery," which won Best Hindi Feature Film, and "The Kerala Story," which won the Best Direction Award. The Best Telugu Film was "Bhagavanth Kesari," while "Parking" took home the Best Tamil Film award. "Godday Godday Chaa" was named Best Punjabi Film, "Pushkara" won Best Odia Film, "Shyamchi Aai" won Best Marathi Film, "Ullozhukku" won Best Malayalam Film, "Kandeelu" won Best Kannada Film, and "Vash" was named Best Gujarati Film. "Deep Fridge" was honoured as Best Bengali Film, and "Rongatapu 1982" won Best Assamese Film.
Other awards included Best Action Direction to Nandu-Prudhvi for "HanuMan," Best Choreography to Vaibhavi Merchant for "Dindhora Baje Re" from "RockyAur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani," Best Music Direction to GV Prakash Kumar for "Vaathi" and Harshavardhan Rameshwar for "Animal," and Best Makeup and Costume Design for "Sam Bahadur."
Vicky Kaushal's "Sam Bahadur" won multiple awards, including Best Makeup, Best Costume, and Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values. Adah Sharma's "The Kerala Story," Sanya Malhotra's "Kathal," Teja Sajja's "Hanu-Man," and Ranbir Kapoor's "Animal" received notable mentions in multiple categories.
The 71st National Film Awards reflect excellence across a broad spectrum of Indian cinema from various regions and genres. This year's awards showcase the rich diversity and talent within the Indian film industry.
Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji's recognition extends beyond the silver screen, as her award-winning performance in "Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway" garnered her the Best Actress award in the 71st National Film Awards. The cricket field and the Indian entertainment industry might seem unrelated, but they converge in the noteworthy appearance of Shah Rukh Khan at the awards, who received his first National Award for his film "Jawan." This highlights the blend of various genres, including movies-and-tv, cricket, and Bollywood, showcasing the well-rounded nature of India's entertainment landscape.
