The 71st National Film Awards 2023 were hosted at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan in a grand ceremony where President Droupadi Murmu conferred awards on the country’s finest cinematic contributors of the year. The evening was a blend of emotional moments, historic wins, and recognition of both artistic and technical mastery in Indian cinema.
Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey Share Best Actor Honour
One of the biggest highlights of the evening was Shah Rukh Khan winning his first-ever National Award for Best Actor for his performance in Jawan. This marked a milestone in his remarkable 30-year-long career. He shared the award with Vikrant Massey, who impressed audiences and critics alike with his stellar performance in 12th Fail.
Rani Mukherji and Mohanlal Shine
Veteran actress Rani Mukherji bagged the Best Actress award for her powerful role in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. The ceremony also honoured Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal (Lalettan) with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, where he received a standing ovation for his illustrious four-decade journey in films.
Best Film and Directorial Excellence
The Best Film award went to Sam Bahadur, directed by Meghna Gulzar and featuring Vicky Kaushal in the lead. On the other hand, Sudipto Sen was named Best Director for the widely talked-about film The Kerala Story. Karan Johar’s family entertainer Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani also triumphed, taking home the award for Best Popular Film.
Supporting Roles and Technical Achievements
In the supporting actor categories, Oorvashi (Ullozhukku) and Janki Bodiwala (Vash) shared honours for Best Supporting Actress. Playback singer Shilpa Rao won the Best Female Playback Singer award for Jawan. Meanwhile, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, starring Manoj Bajpayee, won the award for Best Dialogue Writing.
Child artists Bhargav Sunita Rantakant Jagtap, Srinivas, Treesha, and Kabir Shashi were honoured as Best Child Artists, highlighting the emerging young talent in cinema.
Technical categories also got their due recognition — Divvya and Nidhhi Gambhir won Best Costume Design, while Shrikanth Jagannath Desai clinched Best Makeup for Sam Bahadur. Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, stood out in the Best Sound Design category and earned a Special Mention for its sound re-recording.
Regional Cinema and Special Mentions
Regional films made a strong mark at the awards. Bhagavanth Kesari was awarded Best Telugu Film, while Parking won in two categories — Best Tamil Film and Best Screenplay Writing. Other winners included Godday Godday Chaa (Best Punjabi Film), Pushkara (Best Odia Film), Shyamchi Aai (Best Marathi Film), and Ullozhukku (Best Malayalam Film).
Malayalam film 2018, India’s official entry to the 96th Academy Awards, was recognised for Best Production Design, while Kannan Nanduraj won for Best Action Choreography in Hanu-Man. Celebrated composer GV Prakash took home the Best Music Director award for Vaathi.
In the non-feature category, Flowering Man took the spotlight as Best Non-Feature Film, alongside films like The First Film, Giddh The Scavenger, and The Silent Epidemic.
An Evening of Celebrating Indian Cinema
Congratulating the winners, I&B Ministry Secretary Sanjay Jaju remarked on the historical wins of the evening, highlighting Shah Rukh Khan’s first National Award, Rani Mukherji’s remarkable portrayal, and Vikrant Massey’s inspiring journey. He also paid tribute to Mohanlal’s unparalleled contributions to cinema.
The 71st National Film Awards once again highlighted the depth and diversity of Indian cinema, honouring legends, emerging stars, and technical brilliance that continues to make the industry stand tall on the global stage.
