National Film Awards 2025 Winners: Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, Rani Mukerji Shine | Full List

The prestigious 71st National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday, recognising excellence in Indian cinema for films certified by the CBFC between January 1 and December 31, 2023. This year’s jury was chaired by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, whose own Lagaan remains the most awarded film in the history of the National Awards.

The 2025 edition honoured both artistic brilliance and mass entertainment across India’s vibrant film industries. Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘12th Fail’ bagged the Best Feature Film, cementing its critical and popular acclaim.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, and Rani Mukerji took home top acting honours in a year that celebrated powerful performances.

Films like The Kerala Story, Hanuman, Animal, and Parking received significant recognition, showcasing the diversity of themes and genres that defined Indian cinema in 2023.

Main Award Winners – Feature Film Categories

• Best Feature Film – 12th Fail

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

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

• Best Director – Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)

• Best Supporting Actress – Urvashi (Ullozhukku), Janaki Bodiwala (Vash)

• Best Supporting Actor – Vijayaraghavan (Pookkaalam), Mutthupettai Somu Bhaskar (Parking)

• Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani

• Best Film Promoting National and Social Values – Sam Bahadur

• Best Child Artists – Sukriti Veni Bandreddi, Kabir Khandane, Treesh Thosar

Creative & Technical Achievements

• Best Screenplay – Sai Rajesh Neelam (Baby), Ramkumar Balakrishna (Parking)

• Best Dialogue Writer – Deepak Kingrani (Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai)

• Best Cinematography – Prasantanu Mohapatra (The Kerala Story)

• Best Production Design – Mohandas (2018: Everyone is a Hero)

• Best Editing – Midhun Murali (Pookkaalam)

• Best Action Choreography & Direction – Hanu-Man (Telugu)

• Best Make-Up Artist – Shrikant Desai (Sam Bahadur)

• Best Costume Design – Sachin Lovalekar, Divvya & Nidhiii Gambhir (Sam Bahadur)

Musical Excellence

• Best Music Direction (Songs) – Vaathi (Tamil)

• Best Music Direction (Background Score) – Animal – Harshavardhan Rameshwar

• Best Lyrics – Balagam (The Group)

• Best Male Playback Singer – PVM S Roht (Premisthunna)

• Best Female Playback Singer – Shilpa Rao (Chaleya)

• Best Choreography – Vaibhavi Merchant (Dhindhora Baje Re)

• Best Sound Design – Sachin Sudhakaran & Hariharan Muralidharan (Animal)s

• Best Hindi Film – Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery

• Best Tamil Film – Parking

• Best Telugu Film – Bhagavanth Kesari

• Best Malayalam Film – Ullozhukku

• Best Kannada Film – Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope

• Best Marathi Film – Shyamchi Aai

• Best Bengali Film – Deep Fridge

• Best Assamese Film – Rongatapu 1982

• Best Gujarati Film – Vash

• Best Punjabi Film – Godday Godday Chaa

• Best Odia Film – Pushkara

• Best Tai Phake Film – Pai Tang… Step of Hope

• Best Garo Film – Rimdogittanga

Non-Feature Categories

• Best Non-Fiction Film – Flowering Man

• Best Debut Film – The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw

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

• Best Art/Culture Film – Timeless Tamil Nadu

• Best Documentary Film – God Vulture and Human

• Best Short Film – Giddh: The Scavenger

• Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social & Environmental Values – The Silent Epidemic

• Best Direction (Non-Feature) – Piyush Thakur (The First Film)

• Best Cinematography (Non-Feature) – Meenakshi Soman, Saravanamaruthu Soundarapandi (Little Wings)

• Best Sound Design (Non-Feature) – Shubarun Sengupta (Dhundhgiri Ke Phool)

• Best Editing (Non-Feature) – Niladri Roy (Moving Focus)

• Best Music Direction (Non-Feature) – Pranil Desai (The First Film)

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

• Best Script – Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know

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

• Best Film Critic – Utpal Datta

The National Awards, instituted in 1954, continue to be the highest honour in Indian cinema, transcending commercial success and uniting diverse voices under one banner. As always, they not only reward creativity but also inspire future filmmakers to dream bigger.