71st National Film Awards 2025: Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Vikrant Massey win top honours

The 71st National Film Awards, celebrating the best of Indian cinema from 2023, were announced on Friday, August 1.

Shah Rukh Khan won his first National Award for Best Actor for Jawan, sharing the honour with Vikrant Massey for his acclaimed role in 12th Fail. Rani Mukerji was named Best Actress for her powerful performance in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, based on a real-life custody battle.

12th Fail, Jawan, and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway were among the most impactful Hindi films of 2023.

The jury submitted its final report to Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and MoS L. Murugan at 4 pm(local time), followed by a press conference at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.

National Film Awards 2025: Full winners list

The 71st National Film Awards celebrated the best of Indian cinema across languages and formats. From Shah Rukh Khan to 12th Fail, here’s who took home top honours:

Feature Film Awards

• Best Film: 12th Fail

• Best Debut Film: Aatmapamphlet

• Best Director: Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)

• Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

• Best Film Promoting National, Social Values: Sam Bahadur

• Best Film in AVGC category: HanuMan

• Best Children’s Film: Naal 2

Performance Awards

Best Actor (tie):

• Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan)

• Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)

Best Actress

Rani Mukerji (Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway)

Best Supporting Actors:

• Urvashi (Ullozhukku)

• Janki Bodiwala (Vash)

• Vijayaraghavan (Pookalam)

• Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar (Parking)

Best Child Artists:

• Sukriti Bandireddi (Gandhi Thatha Chettu)

• Kabir Khandare (Gypsy)

• Treesha Toshar, Shrinivas Pokale, Bhargav (Naal 2)

Technical & Creative Awards

Best Direction: Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)

Best Cinematography: Prasanthanu Mohapatra (The Kerala Story)

Best Editing: Midhun Murali (Pookkaalam)

Best Screenplay:

• Sai Rajesh (Baby)

• Ramkumar Balakrishnan (Parking)

Best Dialogue: Deepak Kingrani (Sirf Ek Bandha Kaafi Hai)

Best Sound Design: Sachin Sudhakaran, Hariharan (Animal)

Best Action Direction: Nandu-Prudhvi (HanuMan)

Best Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant (Dindhora Baje Re – Rocky Aur Rani)

Best Lyrics: Kasarla Shyam (Ooru Palleturu – Balagam)

Best Makeup: Shrikanth Desai (Sam Bahadur)

Best Costume Design: Sachin, Divya, Nidhhi (Sam Bahadur)

Best Production Design: Mohandas (2018)

Best Music Direction:

• GV Prakash Kumar (Vaathi)

• Harshavardhan Rameshwar (Animal)

Best Playback Singer:

• Female: Shilpa Rao (Chaliya – Jawan)

• Male: Rohit (Premisthunna – Baby)

Best Regional Films

• Assamese: Rongatapu 1982

• Bengali: Deep Fridge

• Gujarati: Vash

• Hindi: Kathal

• Kannada: Kandeelu

• Malayalam: Ullozhukku

• Marathi: Shyamchi Aai

• Odia: Pushkara

• Punjabi: Godday Godday Chaa

• Tamil: Parking

• Telugu: Bhagavanth Kesari

• Garo: Rimdottianga, Tai Phake: Pai Tang…Step of Hope

Special Mention: MR Rajakrishnan (Animal – Re-recording)

Non-Feature Film Awards

• Best Non-Feature Film: Flowering Man

• Best Debut Film: The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw

• Best Documentary: God, Vulture and Human

• Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction: Mo Bou Mo Gaan, Lentina Ao

• Best Art/Culture Film: Timeless Tamil Nadu

• Best Short Film: Giddh – The Scavenger

• Best Non-Feature Film on Social/Environmental Values: The Silent Epidemic

• Best Direction: Piyush Thakur (The First Film)

• Best Script: Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know

• Best Cinematography: Meenakshi Soman, Saravanamaruthu (Little Wings)

• Best Editing: Niladri Roy (Moving Focus)

• Best Sound Design: Shubarun Sengupta (Dhundhgiri Ke Phool)

• Best Music Direction: Pranil Desai (The First Film)

• Best Voiceover: Hari Krishnan S (The Sacred Jack – Exploring the Tree of Wishes)

• Special Mentions: Nekal – Chronicle of the Paddy Man, The Sea and the Seven Villages

Special mentions

• Animal (feature film category)

• Nekal – Chronicle of the Paddy Man (non-feature, Malayalam)

332 films, one grand celebration

The 2025 awards received 332 entries across categories. The honours reflect the diversity and excellence of Indian cinema, spotlighting both commercial and regional brilliance.