The 71st National Film Awards will be held on September 23, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, with President Droupadi Murmu presenting the honours. Beginning at 4 pm IST, the ceremony will celebrate excellence in Indian cinema for films released in 2023. The event can be watched live on the DD News YouTube channel from 3 pm, starting with the red carpet.

This year’s winners reflect the wide spectrum of Indian cinema. Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘12th Fail’ has been recognised as Best Feature Film, showcasing resilience and hope. ‘Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery’ has been awarded Best Hindi Film for its quirky yet socially relevant storytelling. Shah Rukh Khan (‘Jawan’) and Vikrant Massey (‘12th Fail’) will share the Best Actor award, while Rani Mukerji won Best Actress for her acclaimed performance in ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway’.

A major highlight is Malayalam superstar Mohanlal receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, recognising his decades of contribution. Sudipto Sen’s ‘The Kerala Story’ has bagged Best Direction and Best Cinematography, while Karan Johar’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’ has won Best Popular Film for entertaining audiences with grandeur. Regional cinema also shone bright, with awards going to Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, and Kannada films.

The ceremony, delayed by the pandemic, brings renewed pride and celebration to the industry. With awards spanning acting, direction, music, choreography, sound design, and even documentary films, the 71st National Film Awards stand as a testament to the creativity and diversity of Indian cinema.

Breakdown of Winners

1. Best Feature Film – 12th Fail (Vidhu Vinod Chopra)

2. Best Hindi Film – Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery

3. Best Actor – Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) and Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)

4. Best Actress – Rani Mukerji (Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway)

5. Dadasaheb Phalke Award – Mohanlal

6. Best Director – Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)

7. Best Popular Film – Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani (Karan Johar)

8. Best Telugu Film – Bhagwanth Kesari

9. Best Gujarati Film – Vaash

10. Best Tamil Film – Parking

11. Best Kannada Film – The Ray of Hope

12. Best Female Playback Singer – Shilpa Rao (Chhaliya, Jawan)

13. Best Male Playback Singer – Premisthunna (Baby, Telugu)

14. Best Cinematography – The Kerala Story

15. Best Choreography – Dhindora Baaje Re (Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani)

16. Best Makeup and Costume Design – Sam Bahadur

17. Special Mention – Animal (Re-recording Mixer, M R Radhakrishnan)

18. Best Sound Design – Animal (Hindi)

19. Best Action Direction – Hanuman Man (Telugu)

20. Best Lyrics – Balgam (The Group, Telugu)

21. Best Film Critic – Utpal Dutta (Assam)

22. Best Documentary – God, Vulture and Human

23. Best Script (Non-feature) – Sunflower Ver The First One To Know (Kannada)

24. Best Non-feature Film – Nekal: Chronicle of the Paddy Man (Malayalam), The Sea and Seven Villages (Oriya)

25. Best Music Direction (Non-feature) – The First Film (Hindi)

26. Best Editing (Non-feature) – Movie Focus (English)