Shah Rukh Khan Wins First National Award in his Career of 33 Years

Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan claims Best Actor honour at the 71st National Film Awards after decades of cinematic excellence.

  • Publish date: Monday، 04 August 2025 Reading time: two min read
Shah Rukh Khan Wins First National Award in his Career of 33 Years

At the 71st National Film Awards announced on Friday, August 1, Shah Rukh Khan—often hailed as the King of Bollywood—won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his powerful dual-role performance in Jawan, finally securing the long-elusive recognition after 33 years in the industry.

Despite delivering many critically acclaimed performances in films like Swades (2004), Chak De! India (2007), and My Name Is Khan (2010), Khan had never before been honoured with a National Award—making this win particularly monumental.

Filled with irony, the award was presented by Ashutosh Gowariker, who directed Swades—a film whose central performance had been widely believed deserving, yet overlooked at the time.

Jawan: A Performance of Intensity & Range

Directed by Atlee in his Hindi debut, Jawan cast Shah Rukh in a dual role: an army commando and his son, thrusting him into a gripping vigilante narrative on corruption. The jury applauded it as a “powerhouse performance,” noting how SRK balanced raw energy with emotional depth to bring two memorable characters to life.

Atlee’s direction and a socially charged storyline blended commercial appeal with performance gravitas—earning both popular and critical applause.

Shared Spotlight & Industry Reactions

SRK's award was shared with Vikrant Massey, who won Best Actor for the biographical drama 12th Fail. Meanwhile, Rani Mukerji made her National Award debut as Best Actress for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway.

Industry legends like A.R. Rahman, Mohanlal, and Kamal Haasan extended warm congratulations, while fans across social media celebrated a hero finally getting his due. SRK replied with characteristic humility and humor, even poking fun at Shashi Tharoor's “magniloquent” vocabulary by saying he wouldn’t have understood anything more verbose.

In a heartfelt video message, Shah Rukh thanked the jury, his team, his fans, his wife Gauri Khan, and stated: “A National Award is not just about achievement… It tells me to keep creating and serving cinema”.

This honour completes an illustrious palette of accolades that already includes the Padma Shri, Légion d’honneur, numerous Filmfare Awards, and honorary doctorates. Yet, until now, the National Film Award had eluded him—making this moment a defining milestone in his legacy.

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