71st National Film Awards 2025 unites Mohanlal, Shah Rukh, Rani

Awards nights are like crossroads where different journeys meet. At Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, the 71st National Film Awards turned into one such moment. President Droupadi Murmu handed over the honours, and the hall filled with applause as Malayalam star Mohanlal walked up to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023. Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji also stood in the spotlight, both winning Best Actor awards for their strong performances.

The most talked about sight of the evening came when Mohanlal, SRK, and Rani posed together. It was a rare frame, bringing three powerful names side by side. Shah Rukh wore a crisp black suit while Rani chose a brown silk saree that highlighted her trademark elegance. Mohanlal kept it traditional, arriving in white kurta and mundu, reminding everyone of his roots even on such a national stage.

The awards themselves carried stories of different emotions. SRK’s win for Jawan was for his role as Azad, a jailer fighting corruption with the help of women prisoners, while also reconnecting with his father, played in a dual role. The film mixed action with social anger and connected with audiences across the country. Rani’s Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway had no fight scenes but a mother’s fight against a foreign system that separated her from her children. Her performance, simple and raw, carried the film on her shoulders.

Mohanlal’s recognition stretched beyond one film. Four decades of work, from blockbusters to critically acclaimed roles, brought him the highest award in Indian cinema. His Phalke honour was a reminder of how cinema lives longer than actors themselves. Along with them, Vikrant Massey’s 12th Fail also earned him Best Actor, showing that the awards respected both veterans and the new wave. The 71st National Awards this year will be remembered not just for trophies, but for that one picture where cinema’s past, present, and future stood together.