The 71st National Film Awards 2025 celebrated the very best of Indian cinema with a grand ceremony held in Delhi, where the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, felicitated the winners. From Shah Rukh Khan’s powerful performance in Jawan to Rani Mukerji’s emotionally charged role in Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway, this year’s awards showcased versatility, strong storytelling, and technical brilliance across various industries.
Recognized as the most prestigious film awards in India, the National Film Awards honour excellence in cinema and remain a benchmark of quality, creativity, and cultural impact.
Major Highlights of the 71st National Film Awards
Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey shared the Best Actor award for Jawan and 12th Fail, respectively.
- Mohanlal was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema. He received a standing ovation at Vigyan Bhawan as President Murmu felicitated him for his extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema. In an emotional speech, the Malayalam legend dedicated the award to his industry, calling it “sacred” and “far greater than a dream come true.” With this recognition, he also became the youngest recipient of the honour and only the second actor from Kerala to win it.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2023 on Shri Mohanlal in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/gJJpfEWo03
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 23, 2025
Rani Mukerji won Best Actress for her stellar performance in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail bagged Best Feature Film, marking a massive win for content-driven cinema.
Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was honoured as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story won Best Direction, underlining the importance of impactful narratives.
In the technical category, Hanu-Man took home the award for Best Visual Effects, while Animal was recognized for Best Sound Design.
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Complete List of Winners – 71st National Film Awards 2025
Best Feature Film – 12th Fail (Vidhu Vinod Chopra)
Best Debut Film of a Director – Ashish Avinash Bende (Aatmapamphlet)
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (Karan Johar, Dharma Productions)
Best Children’s Film – Naal 2 (Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, Zee Studios)
Best Direction – Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)
Best Film in AVGC (Visual Effects) – Jetty Venkat Kumar (Hanu-Man)
Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values – Sam Bahadur (Meghna Gulzar, Unilazer Ventures)
Acting Categories
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) & Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Rani Mukerji (Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Vijayaraghavan (Pookkaalam) & M. S. Bhaskar (Parking)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Urvashi (Ullozhukku) & Janki Bodiwala (Vash)
Best Child Artist – Sukriti Veni Bandreddi (Gandhi Tatha Chettu), Kabir Khandare (Gypsy), Treesha Thosar, Shrinivas Pokale, Bhargav Jagtap (Naal 2)
Music & Technical Awards
Best Male Playback Singer – P V N S Rohit (Baby – Premistunna)
Best Female Playback Singer – Shilpa Rao (Jawan – Chaleya)
Best Cinematography – Prasantanu Mohapatra (The Kerala Story)
Best Screenplay (Original) – Sai Rajesh (Baby), Ramkumar Balakrishnan (Parking)
Best Dialogues – Deepak Kingrani (Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai)
Best Sound Design – Sachin Sudhakaran, Hariharan Muralidharan (Animal)
Best Editing – Midhun Murali (Pookkaalam)
Best Production Design – Mohandas (2018)
Best Costume Design – Sachin Lovalekar, Divvya Gambhir, Nidhhi Gambhir (Sam Bahadur)
Best Make-up – Shrikant Desai (Sam Bahadur)
Best Lyrics – Kasarla Shyam (Balagam – Ooru Palletooru)
Best Choreography – Vaibhavi Merchant (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani – Dhindhora Baje Re)
Non-Feature Categories
Best Documentary – God Vulture and Human (Rishiraj Agarwal)
Best Short Film – Giddh (The Scavenger) (Manish Saini)
Best Film Critic – Utpal Datta
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Why These Awards Matter
The 71st National Film Awards highlight the diversity of Indian cinema – from big-budget entertainers like Jawan to socially rooted stories like 12th Fail and Sam Bahadur. The recognition also highlights the evolving landscape of Indian filmmaking, where technical brilliance in VFX, editing, and sound design coexists alongside powerful performances and meaningful narratives.
By honouring both mainstream superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, as well as rising talents like Vikrant Massey and independent filmmakers, the awards celebrate the true spirit of Indian cinema.
