The 71st National Film Awards were announced on Friday in New Delhi, celebrating the best of Indian cinema from 2023. The awards recognized films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. The ceremony was marked by several significant wins, recognizing talent across various languages and genres.
One of the biggest highlights of the evening was Shah Rukh Khan winning his first-ever National Award for Best Actor for his role in the blockbuster film "Jawan". Known for his long and successful career, this win is a special moment for the superstar and his fans. He shared the award with Vikrant Massey, who was honored for his performance in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "12th Fail". "12th Fail" also bagged the award for Best Feature Film. The film tells an inspiring story of determination and was widely praised by audiences and critics alike.
Rani Mukerji won the Best Actress award for her emotional role in "Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway". Sudipto Sen won Best Director for "The Kerala Story". Vijayaraghavan (for "Pookkalam") and Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar (for "Parking") shared the Best Supporting Actor award, while Urvashi (for "Ullozhukku") and Janki Bodiwala (for "Vash") shared the Best Supporting Actress award. "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani," directed by Karan Johar, won the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Karan Johar expressed his excitement and gratitude for the honor. The award for Best Film Promoting National, Social Values went to "Sam Bahadur".
Adding to the accolades, Shilpa Rao won Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Chaliya" from "Jawan," while PVN S Rohit won Best Male Playback Singer for "Premisthunna" from the Telugu film "Baby". The National Award for Best Child Artist was shared by Sukriti Veni for "Gandhi Tatha Chettu" (Telugu), Kabir Khandare for "Gypsy" (Marathi), and Treesha Thasar, Shrinivas Pokaole, and Bhargav for "Naal 2" (Marathi).
In other news, Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has been in the spotlight regarding his divorce from Dhanashree Verma. Chahal caught attention when he wore a T-shirt with the slogan "Be Your Own Sugar Daddy" during a court hearing. In a recent podcast appearance, Chahal explained the reason behind wearing the T-shirt. He stated that he "didn't want to do any drama" but "just wanted to give one message," which the T-shirt helped him convey. He implied that something from the other side provoked him to wear it. Chahal clarified that he wasn't trying to abuse anyone but simply wanted to express himself. He also admitted that both he and Dhanashree were pretending about their marriage in public to conceal their strained relationship.
