The 71st National Film Awards, which were held on August 1, 2025, was the celebration and appreciation of the best in Indian cinema accross the nation in the year 2023. The awards organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting not only celebrated cinematic excellence but also highlighted the richness of regional and short films. This year, in particular, had been extra-special as it was a year full of iconic moments; first in history of the awards.
Best Actor Award Winners
A major highlight of the 71st National Film Awards was the Best Actor title being shared by Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey. This was a moment where the jury had selected a joint win of action and biopic acting. This award is also a milestone in Shah Rukh Khan’s career, as he was honored with his first-ever National Award for his action performance in Jawan. His supporters nationwide interpreted this as a culmination of the long overdue recognition.
On the contrary, Vikrant Massey was celebrated for his emotional performance in the movie 12th Fail, which taught the audience a lesson about strength, desire, and optimism. The shared award demonstrated the depth of creativity in Indian cinema-from big action heroes to realistically based characters.
Best Actress Award
When considering the best actress award, Rani Mukerji was honored for her powerful performance in the movie Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway. This movie is based on a true story; the film showcased her as a determined mother of twins forced to remain in a foreign land to fight a legal battle for the custody of her children. The film was her glorious comeback to the film industry.
Best Feature Film award
Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, 12th Fail stood out at the 71st National Film Awards. Not just for its lead performance but also by bagging the Best Feature Film award, the movie had a solidifying impact both critically and culturally. Having a strong plot related to the real events and a socially uplifting message, it became the voice of thousands of people in the country. The success of the film demonstrated that it is a powerful film that has a great impact on the Indian viewers.
Regional Cinema Awards
The National Film Awards have always supported the strength of regional narration and this year could not be an exception.
List of Regional Films that Won National Awards in 2025
| Movie in Language | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Best Hindi Film | Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery |
| Best Tamil Film | Parking, which also won Best Screenplay and helped M. S. Bhaskar earn Best Supporting Actor |
| Best Telugu Film | Bhagavanth Kesari |
| Best Malayalam Film | Ullozhukku |
| Best Kannada Film | Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope |
| Best Marathi Film | Shyamchi Aai |
| Best Gujarati Film | Vash |
| Best Bengali Film | Deep Fridge |
| Best Assamese Film | Rongatapu 1982 |
All these films are a reflection of linguistic and cultural diversity that is synonymous with Indian cinema. Whether it is a drama or a plot based on social issues, these regional jewels are further pushing the film industry.
Other Award Honours
Excellent achievements in technical categories were also awarded. Movies which won this award are Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in terms of choreography and fun, whereas The Kerala Story received the Best Direction award. This made it clear that not only the performances, but also the teams behind the scenes working to bring stories to life (editors, sound designers, lyricists, and cinematographers) were to be rewarded.
Full List of National Award Winners 2025
| Category | Title of the Film | Awardee | Medal & Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film | 12th Fail (Hindi) | VC Films LLP Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra |
Swarna Kamal Rs. 3,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Hindi Film | Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery | Netflix Entertainment Director: Yashowardhan Mishra |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Tamil Film | Parking | Soldiers Factory Director: Ramkumar Balakrishnan |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Telugu Film | Bhagavanth Kesari | Shine Screens India LLP Director: Anil Ravipudi |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Malayalam Film | Ullozhukku | Unilazer Ventures Director: Christo Tomy |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Kannada Film | Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope | Swastik Entertainment Director: K Yashoda Prakash |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Gujarati Film | Vash | Big Box Series Director: Krishnadev Yagnik |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Bengali Film | Deep Fridge | Colors of Dream Entertainment Director: Arjun Dutta |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Assamese Film | Rongatapu 1982 | BRC Cine Production Director: Adityam Saikia |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Actor | Jawan (Hindi) 12th Fail (Hindi) |
Shah Rukh Khan Vikrant Massey |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Actress | Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway | Rani Mukerji | Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Supporting Actor | Pookkaalam (Malayalam) Parking (Tamil) |
Vijayaraghavan Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Supporting Actress | Ullozhukku (Malayalam) Vash (Gujarati) |
Urvashi Janaki Bodiwala |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Direction | The Kerala Story | Sudipto Sen | Swarna Kamal Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| Best Music Direction | Vaathi (Songs) Animal (BGM) |
G V Prakash Kumar Harshavardhan Rameshwar |
Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Lyrics | Balagam (Ooru Palleturu) | Kasarla Shyam | Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Choreography | Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani | Vaibhavi Merchant | Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Action Direction | Hanu-Man | Nandu and Prudhvi | Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Cinematography | The Kerala Story | Prasantanu Mohapatra | Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Editing | Pookkaalam | Midhun Murali | Rajat Kamal Rs. 2,00,000/- |
Takeaway
The 71st National Film Awards is a festive event of Indian cinematic development. The awards chimed through the mega stars such as Shah Rukh Khan finally getting their moment and all the way down to the regional film makers were given the platform to know about how rich and constantly expanding the Indian storytelling and film industry is. With the prospect of another year of movies, this is a moment of pride of the Indian film industry and millions of their admirers.
