The biggest names in the movies pour down the steps at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. It’s not just fashion, it’s history sashaying in designer suits and sarees. There’s buzz, there’s chatter, and cameras are popping everywhere. Did anyone expect it to be this glam? It was like every screen idol had come alive in 3D right in front of our eyes.
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Shah Rukh Khan Takes Home First National Award Ever!
Hold up. The King of Bollywood, who has been in movies for more than three decades, had never won a National Award, until now. That’s right. Shah Rukh Khan clinched his very first Best Actor award for Jawan, sharing the honor with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail. People were literally losing their minds when his name was called out. Instagram, X, and WhatsApp exploded, with fans posting “SRK finally did it!” even before he reached the stage.
Credits: India Forums
Surprise Fact, SRK and Vikrant Massey split the prize money, each bagging ₹1 lakh along with the Silver Lotus and a certificate. Imagine sharing one of India’s greatest film honors with Bollywood’s biggest superstar in your first big year.
Rani Mukerji – The Queen Returns
Rani Mukerji wasn’t just back; she soared. Taking home the Best Actress Award for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, her gripping performance of a mother battling for her child moved everyone. People cheered not just for her emotional scenes but for how she has kept pushing boundaries since her debut movie. Here’s something wild: she took home a full ₹2 lakh and the Silver Lotus, too.
Credits: Moneycontrol
Don’t miss out and try this trend before everyone else does: Powerful female leads are taking over Bollywood!
Mohanlal Honoured With The Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Fans from Kerala to Mumbai celebrated one of India’s favorite stars, Mohanlal, who was honored with the highest prize, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Even veteran actors got emotional as he made his speech, thanking fans for timeless love and the industry for keeping up the magic.
Compared to last year’s winner Mithun Chakraborty, Mohanlal’s journey is a cross-country adventure in genres consisting of action, comedy, art, he’s done it all. His fan army is bigger than some cricket teams!
High-Energy Fashion Parade
Forget Cannes for a second. National Film Awards red carpet style slays every year and this time, even more. Shah Rukh in a midnight-black suit with just the right amount of shine, Rani Mukerji in a traditional saree layered with gold jewelry, and emerging stars flashing bright prints and avant-garde cuts. If anyone’s still thinking old-school awards are dull, one scroll of social media proves otherwise. Best-Dressed polls started even before the ceremony ended as the world couldn’t take eyes off these looks.
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Biggest Wins
This year was all about variety. Some wins had everyone nodding in agreement, but others came outta nowhere:
- Best Feature Film: Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s “12th Fail” – a tale that inspired students and parents across India.
- Best Hindi Film: “Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery” – don’t let the name fool you, it’s deep, sharp, and hilariously real.
- Best Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Karan Johar’s “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani”—everyone grooved to its soundtrack.
- Best Direction: Sudipto Sen for “The Kerala Story” – critics and fans called it a cinematic punch.
Fans saw a healthy spread between big studio giants and indie flicks, so talent truly ruled this stage.
The Real Best Actor/Best Actress Buzz
Big movies weren’t the only ones in the spotlight. Vikrant Massey, hailed for the gripping performance in “12th Fail”, brought tears to people’s eyes. Some grandmas even sent congratulatory DMs on social media saying, “You made us proud, beta!” Did anyone expect Vikrant to be SRK’s co-winner? Not really. That twist made headlines everywhere.
Rani Mukerji, in her golden sari, was complemented by everyone, reporters quoted even backstage staff saying she glowed more than the trophy!
Regional Films Steal the Limelight
The National Film Awards is not just about Hindi cinema. From Telugu to Malayalam, from Bengali to Gujarati, films representing Indian diversity were honored.
- Best Film in Telugu: “Bhagavanth Kesari”
- Best Film in Tamil: “Parking”
- Best Film in Malayalam: “Ullozhukku”
- Best Film in Bengali: “Deep Fridge”
- Best Film in Kannada: “Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope”
- Best Film in Assamese: “Rongatapu 1982”
- Best Film in Marathi: “Shyamchi Aai”
- Best Film in Odia: “Pushkara”
- Best Film in Punjabi: “Godday Godday Chaa”
- Best Film in Gujarati: “Vash”
A true fiesta of cultures and languages. This only happens at the National Film Awards.
The Winners Who Made Us Groove
The beats were sizzling in 2025. G.V. Prakash Kumar won Best Music Direction for “Vaathi”, and Harshavardhan Rameshwar got Best Background Score for “Animal”. PVN S Rohit was honored for Best Male Playback in “Baby”, while Shilpa Rao rocked Best Female Playback with her vocals in SRK’s “Jawan”. Every winning tune got replayed thousands of times after the ceremony and these tracks didn’t just play at the movies, they ruled reels and TikTok all week.
Who Chose The Winners?
This year, the main jury was led by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker for Feature Films, with Malay Ray for Non-Feature Films. Months of screening, debate, and sometimes heated arguments led up to the final picks. Critics and insiders say the 2025 editions were among the toughest yet, with so many breakout performances. The bar is getting higher every year, and stars know National Film Awards mean more than box office numbers.
A Ceremony Full of Surprises
New categories always bring a twist. This year had firsts and unexpected wins. Best Debut Director went to Ashish Avinash Bende for “Aatmapamphlet.” Imagine being honored by the President as a newcomer!
Movie buffs cheered online as Sam Bahadur scooped Best Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values. Social impact stories are trending, Bollywood might just become the conscience of the country soon.
How Much Did The Winners Really Win?
For most, it’s about the honor and not just the cash, but the take-home was not small. Best Actor and Best Actress winners pocketed ₹2 lakh each (split in the case of SRK and Vikrant Massey), along with a glorious Silver Lotus. The recognition outshines money, but getting paid to be the best doesn’t hurt.
Kind of wild that many past winners, like Amitabh Bachchan and Kangana Ranaut, still treasure their Lotus medals more than any blockbuster payday.
Fashion, Fame, And Viral Moments – What Had Fans Talking
Moments from the 71st National Film Awards trended for days:
- Shah Rukh Khan hugged Vikrant Massey on stage; fans shared the photo with captions like “King and New Lion!”
- Rani Mukerji’s acceptance speech made everyone emotional, one fan was even seen crying on live TV.
- Mohanlal’s tribute to Indian cinema went viral for its poetic simplicity.
- The cast and makers of “12th Fail” began their victory dance right outside the hall, no joke, people joined in.
Don’t miss out, share that SRK and Vikrant hug for maximum likes!
National Film Awards Go Global
NRI pages in the US and UK were awash with clips and interviews. A huge crowd watched live streams from different time zones; that’s how much this event means beyond borders. Global journalists reported “Bollywood’s biggest awards night finally puts regional talent at the front.” For once, India’s cinema culture felt like it belonged to everyone.
Social Media Buzz And Trending Hashtags
Within hours, #NationalFilmAwards2025 was top trending in India. Sub-trends like #SRKFirstNationalAward and #QueenRani dominated Instagram and X. Memes, reaction videos, and ‘watch party’ posts took over feeds everywhere.
Did you know? The SRK-Rani reunion GIF was reposted over 20,000 times on WhatsApp!
Best Instagram call to action ever, hit “send” to your movie-loving squad!
The Secret Behind The Scenes
Word is, Shah Rukh Khan spent his morning scripting his speech and perfecting his tie knot. Rani Mukerji did a quick rehearsal in her green room. Mohanlal listened to a favorite old Malayalam song to calm nerves. Not sure if reporters caught these details, but a makeup artist admitted, “Even the calmest superstars get a little nervous here!”
More Winners And The Complete List
The event didn’t just honor blockbuster stars. Choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant won for “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani”, Nandu and Prudhvi were honored for their action sequences in “Hanu-Man”. Songwriter Kasarla Shyam took home Best Lyrics for “Balagam”.
Other wins:
- Best Cinematography: Prasanthanu Mohapatra for “The Kerala Story”
- Best Editing: Midhun Murali for “Pookkaalam”
- Best Sound Design: Sachin Sudhakaran, Hariharan for “Animal”
- Best Production Design: Mohandas for “2018 – Everyone is a Hero”
- Best Make-Up: Shrikanth Desai for “Sam Bahadur”
- Best Costume Designer: Sachin, Divya, Nidhhi for “Sam Bahadur”
- Special Mention: M.R. Radhakrishnan (Re-recording mixer) for “Animal”.
The People And The Passion
Who really makes the National Films Awards so epic? Not just stars, but fans, critics, crew, and, yes, the President of India. Droupadi Murmu’s presence turned the event into a mega-occasion. Everyone from set designers to social media managers contributed, making it a night of unity, pride, and pure cinematic joy.
Cultural commentators said, “The National Film Awards are like the Super Bowl for movies, only way more emotional.”
Calls To Action That Everybody Loved
So many moments worth sharing!
- Share this if your favorite movie won
- Tag a friend who loves Bollywood twists
- Save this as inspiration, the next award could be yours
- Comment with your top fashion pick from the show
- Don’t miss the afterparty clips, they’re almost as fun as the awards
Past Vs Present
Back in 2024, main headlines were all about Mithun Chakraborty’s lifetime achievement, slightly old-school stories, and a heavier bias towards blockbusters. In 2025, diversity won out; regional films, debut directors, and social-impact movies shared front-row glory with the giants of Hindi cinema. Critics say this is National Film Awards 2.0, more inclusive, more fashion-forward, and way more competitive.
Oops! Moments And A Few Human Touches
Nobody’s perfect, and neither is an awards show. There was a minor sound glitch before the Best Actress announcement. A couple of names got mispronounced, online fans poked fun but turned it into a meme that went viral. Shah Rukh even joked onstage, saying he practiced his “thank you” in ten languages, but forgot two by the time he reached the mic.
One lucky cameraman caught a selfie with half of Bollywood and posted, “Sorry for blurry pics, but can you blame me?”
Was This The Best Year Yet?
Film critics have called the 71st edition one of the most unpredictable and heartfelt. From student success stories in “12th Fail” to Rani Mukerji’s powerful mother role, to the quirky madness of “Kathal”, cinema lovers were delighted. Dadasaheb Phalke winner Mohanlal received standing ovations not just in Delhi, but at every press screening from Kochi to London.
What Happens Next?
There’s already hype about next year’s awards, with young filmmakers trying new themes and stars talking up their next big roles. The National Film Awards are evolving fast, get ready for bigger wins, bolder fashion, and even more unforgettable moments.
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