New Delhi, Aug 1: Hindi cinema dominated the 71st National Film Awards on Friday with superstar Shah Rukh Khan winning his career’s first best actor award for “Jawan” alongside Vikrant Massey for “12th Fail”, which was named the best feature film.
The Awards, announced for the year 2023 by jury head and filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, recognised Bollywood star Rani Mukerji in the best actress category for “Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway”. It is also her career’s first National Film Award.
“I’m overwhelmed to have won the National Award for my performance in ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’… For me, this award is also a validation of my 30-year body of work, my dedication to my craft with which I feel a deeply spiritual connection and my passion for cinema and this beautiful film industry of ours,” Mukerji, 47, said in a statement.
Gowariker, who directed Shah Rukh in 2004’s “Swades”, said the 59-year-old actor was recognised for “delivering a powerhouse performance, balancing raw intensity and emotional depth and bringing to life a hero who fights not just enemy but societal boundaries, creating two unforgettable cinema personas”.
“Jawan”, which minted over Rs 1,100 crore at the worldwide box office, was a high-octane thriller from South filmmaker Atlee and featured SRK in the dual role of Army officer Vikram Rathore and his jailor son Azad.
The filmmaker said it was “quite historic” that one of the biggest stars of Indian cinema got an award for best acting at the National Film Awards “after such a long and prolific career”.
Shah Rukh is counted amongst the top stars of Indian cinema ever since he made his debut in 1992 with Hindi film “Deewana”.
“Yes, it is amazing… Him getting (the award) for ‘Jawan’ is something that is great because he’s played a double role in that,” Gowariker told reporters after the announcement.
The jury praised Massey’s performance as one that portrayed the transformative journey of a village boy with “raw honesty and emotional depth”.
In a statement, Massey, 38, said it was a dream come true moment for him.
“I am eternally grateful to the audiences for honouring my performances and for recommending this film with such love. It is a privilege to be sharing my first National Award with an icon like Shah Rukh Khan,” he added.
Filmmaker Karan Johar’s “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Kahaani” was named the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment while Meghna Gulzar-directorial “Sam Bahadur” was recognised as the best film promoting national, social and environmental values.
“I am ecstatic and overwhelmed to win the national award for a film exceptionally close to my heart ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’. I am grateful to the jury and continue to be humbled by the enormous love the film continues to receive,” Johar, 53, said in a statement.
Vaibhavi Merchant won the best choreography award for “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” song “Dhindhora Baaje”. Shilpa Rao was named best female playback singer for “Jawan” track “Chaleya”.
A biopic on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, “Sam Bahadur” was also named in categories for make-up and costume.
“Immense honour and gratitude, there’s serenity in me. I know how much my parents particularly my father was missing this (National award) for me. So, for me this is something that has been filled for him. For me that’s what makes it so special and for it to happen on ‘Sam Bahadur’ is all the more special,” Meghna, daughter cinema veterans Gulzar and actor Rakhee, told PTI.
Filmmaker Sudipto Sen won the best director award for his film “The Kerala Story”, which also bagged the honour for best cinematography. The film had courted controversy for its portrayal of women in Kerala being forcefully converted and recruited by terror group Islamic State.
“It’s a difficult topic, and to convey that with this kind of clarity is something that we as a jury felt was the need to applaud,” Gowariker said when asked why “The Kerala Story” was chosen for best direction.
Sanya Malhotra-starrer “Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery” was named the best Hindi film.
While Hindi cinema ruled in the main categories, regional movies were recognised in categories such as best supporting actor as well as actress and in technical segments.
Vijayaraghavan for Malayalam film “Pookalam”, Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar for Tamil film “Parking” shared the best supporting actor trophy.
The best supporting actress honour went to Urvashi for Malayalam movie “Ullozhokku” and Janki Bodiwala for Gujarati title “Vash”. Both movies won best films in their respective language segments.
Ashish Bende’s Marathi film bagged the award for the best debut film of a director.
Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comic) went to Telugu film “Hanu-Man”, which also won the best action direction award.
“Animal”, another Hindi blockbuster of 2023, won awards for best sound design, best music director (background music) and a special mention for re-recording mixer.
The National Award for best screenplay was shared between Telugu movie “Baby” and Tamil film “Parking”. “Baby” singer PVN S Rohit was recognised as the best male playback singer for the song “Premisthunna”.
The best music director for songs went to G V Prakash for Tamil movie “Vaathi”. Kasarla Shyam was named best lyricist for Telugu movie “Balagam” song ‘Ooru Palleturu”.
Deepak Kingrani was named best dialogue writer for Manoj Bajpayee-fronted Hindi film “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai” and best editing went to Malayalam title “Pookkaalam” and production design to another Malayalam movie “2018”.
Sukriti Veni Bandreddi (“Gandhi Tatha Chettu”), Kabir Khandare (“Gypsy”) and “Naal 2” cast members Treesha Thosar, Shrinivas Pokale, and Bhargav Jagtap were recognised in the best child artists category. “Naal 2” was also named best children’s film.
In the language film categories, the winners were — “Rongatapu 1982” (Assamese), “Deep Fridge” (Bengali), “Parking” (Tamil), “Kandeelu” (Kannada), “Shamchi Aai” (Marathi), “Puskara” (Odia), “Godday Godday Chaa” (Punjabi) and “Bhagavanth Kesari” (Telugu).
The winners for various non-feature categories were also announced with Hindi movie “Flowering Man” being named the best film, while the best documentary went to “God Vulture and Human”. The best director award was bagged by Piyush Thakur for “The First Film” and the best script went to Chidananda Nayak’s Kannada short film “Sunflowers were the First Ones to Know”. (PTI)
