By Ayesha Khan 
New Delhi, September 23: The 71st National Film Awards turned Vigyan Bhawan into a theatre of history tonight. It wasn’t just about who won what. It was about careers coming full circle, industries being acknowledged, and stories big and small being placed on the same pedestal.
President Droupadi Murmu gave away the honours, and the mood in the room often felt like the industry giving something back to its own.
Shah Rukh Khan’s Wait Ends
When Shah Rukh Khan was announced as Best Actor for Jawan, the cheer inside the hall was louder than most award nights in recent memory. He has been the country’s biggest movie star for decades, but the National Award had always escaped him. Tonight, the balance was corrected.
Khan’s face said it all. A rare moment when the showman seemed overwhelmed, clutching the award a little tighter than usual. Jawan may have been a mass entertainer on the surface, but its themes of corruption and accountability struck a nerve. The jury acknowledgment was a signal that blockbuster cinema with a political edge has finally arrived at the national stage.
Vikrant Massey Stands Tall
The surprise was that Khan did not stand there alone. Vikrant Massey shared the Best Actor award for 12th Fail, a film about small-town students chasing the dream of becoming civil servants. His quiet, lived-in performance as Manoj Sharma turned what could have been a predictable underdog tale into something raw and personal.
The film, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, also won Best Feature Film. From a modest release to topping critics’ lists, 12th Fail has had the kind of journey Hindi cinema rarely witnesses anymore. Massey’s name being read out alongside Shah Rukh Khan’s was more than a tie. It was two very different versions of India being honoured in the same breath.
Rani Mukerji’s Fierce Reclamation
The night also belonged to Rani Mukerji, who bagged Best Actress for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. The film dramatized a real custody battle and was emotionally heavy, but it worked because Mukerji never let the performance slip into caricature.
She thanked mothers everywhere in her short speech, but the winner also said something about her, a star from the 90s refusing to fade quietly and instead reinventing herself through roles that demand more grit than glamour.
A Lifetime For Mohanlal
When Mohanlal’s name was called for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the hall rose in unison. A standing ovation for an actor who has carried Malayalam cinema into the national consciousness for over 40 years.
With more than 350 films behind him, Mohanlal is not just an actor. He is shorthand for a whole era of regional storytelling. In her speech, President Murmu called him “a cultural ambassador,” but it was the applause, long and sustained, that underlined what he means to Indian cinema.
What The Jury Really Said
Put together, this year’s winners send a clear message. The National Awards are not just for niche cinema anymore, nor are they the exclusive domain of Bollywood spectacle.
- Jawan proved that big-budget action films with teeth can be taken seriously.
- 12th Fail reminded us that stories of small-town grit are not just for multiplexes but for the nation’s record books.
- Rani Mukerji’s win underscored the space for women-led narratives.
- Mohanlal’s Phalke award reaffirmed that regional cinema drives India’s storytelling strength.
Still, some voices noted what was missing. Marathi and Assamese films, which had strong runs in 2024, barely figured in the top categories. Those discussions will run their course, as they always do after the ceremony.
After The Curtains Fell
Outside the hall, the reactions were instant. Social media exploded with #SRKNationalAward and #MohanlalPhalke within minutes. Industry insiders described Khan’s win as “long overdue,” while Kerala treated Mohanlal’s moment like a collective victory.
The awards will also shape viewing trends. 12th Fail is expected to surge again on streaming platforms. And for filmmakers, Khan’s recognition may encourage more risk-taking, the idea that spectacle and substance do not have to live apart.
The 71st National Film Awards ended up being about more than recognition. They stitched together a narrative where icons, underdogs, and legends all had space. It was one of those nights where cinema looked a little more like the country itself, messy, diverse, unpredictable, but somehow still whole.
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- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
