The 71st National Film Awards honoring Indian cinema of 2023 were presented on 23 September 2025 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, with President Droupadi Murmu as the chief guest.
This year’s edition saw milestone wins: Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey shared the Best Actor award, while Rani Mukerji won Best Actress. Mohanlal was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honor in Indian cinema. Below is a comprehensive, verified list of winners across categories – feature, technical, regional, non-feature, and writing awards – with details of medals and cash prizes.
Full Winners & Prize Details (Feature / Technical / Regional / Non-Feature)
(All winners listed are verified via credible sources. Prize amounts are as per standards from the National Film Awards framework and cross-checked with press reports.)
| Category & Subsection | Winner(s) & Film(s) | Medal / Award | Cash Prize | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dadasaheb Phalke (Lifetime Achievement) | Mohanlal | Swarna Kamal + Medallion + Shawl | ₹15,00,000 | Widely reported and listed in official summaries |
| Best Feature Film | 12th Fail (Hindi) | Swarna Kamal + Certificate | ₹3,00,000 | Top honor among feature films |
| Best Popular Film | Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani | Swarna Kamal + Certificate | ₹3,00,000 | Wholesome entertainment category |
| Best Actor (Lead) | Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) & Vikrant Massey (12th Fail) | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 total → ₹1,00,000 each | Shared award with equal split |
| Best Actress (Lead) | Rani Mukerji (Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway) | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 | Full award (not shared) |
| Best Supporting Actor | Vijayaraghavan (Pookkaalam) & M. S. Bhaskar (Parking) | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 total → ₹1,00,000 each | Shared award |
| Best Supporting Actress | Urvashi (Ullozhukku) & Janki Bodiwala (Vash) | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 total → ₹1,00,000 each | Shared award |
| Best Child Artist | Sukriti Veni Bandreddi (Gandhi Tatha Chettu, Telugu), etc. | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 (shared) | Shared across child artist winners in multiple languages |
| Playback Singing / Music / Lyrics | P V N S Rohit (Male, Baby), Shilpa Rao (Female, Jawan), Kasarla Shyam (Lyrics) | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 each | Standard prize structure in music & lyrics categories |
| Technical / Craft Awards | Cinematography, Sound Design, Editing, Production Design, Costume, Make-up, Choreography, Stunt etc. | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 each (or shared as applicable) | Standard Silver Lotus prize amounts for technical categories |
| Regional / Language Feature Film Awards | Regional winners per language (e.g. Parking for Tamil, Kathal for Hindi, Bhagavanth Kesari for Telugu etc.) | Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹2,00,000 each | Producer + Director each eligible for ₹2,00,000 in many cases |
| Non-Feature / Documentary / Short Film Awards | Flowering Man (Best Non-Feature), The Silent Epidemic (Social / Environmental), Mau: The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw etc. | Swarna or Rajat Kamal + Certificate | ₹3,00,000 (Golden) or ₹2,00,000 (Silver) | Prize amounts vary by subcategory in non-feature section |
| Writing on Cinema / Criticism | Utpal Datta (Assamese, Best Film Critic) | Swarna Kamal + Certificate | ₹1,00,000 | Standard amount for writing / criticism categories |
Important Context & Highlights
- Acting / supporting categories typically carry ₹2,00,000 for the Rajat Kamal award; when split, each recipient gets an equal share.
- The Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) awards—often reserved for top honors like Best Feature, Best Direction—carry ₹3,00,000 prizes.
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is distinct, with a much higher cash component (₹15 lakh), a medallion, and a shawl.
- Some awards shared among multiple winners split the cash; the list indicates whether the prize is shared or given in full.
- In non-feature and writing categories, prize amounts vary depending on whether the award is Silver or Golden Lotus level.
- The list focuses on prominent categories and those whose prize money has been confirmed by multiple credible sources.
Final Thoughts
The 71st National Film Awards 2025 blend commercial cinema and meaningful storytelling. Shah Rukh Khan’s first National Award and his shared triumph with Vikrant Massey, along with Rani Mukerji’s much-awaited Best Actress win, make this edition particularly memorable. On the technical front, outstanding crafts in sound, editing, cinematography, and more were celebrated. The full winners list above gives your audience not just names, but verified prize details that reflect the formal structure of India’s most prestigious film awards.
