The major winners from the 71st National Film Awards, honoring cinematic excellence for the year 2023. The awards were presented on September 23, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, by President Droupadi Murmu2.
Major Awards
Best Feature Film: 12th Fail
Best Hindi Film: Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani
Best Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values: Sam Bahadur
Best Director: Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)
Best Actor: Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) and Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)
Best Actress: Rani Mukerji (Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway)
Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Mohanlal
Regional Film Winners
Language Best Film
Assamese Rongatapu 1982
Bengali Deep Fridge
Hindi Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery
Kannada Kandeelu – The Ray of Hope
Malayalam Ullozhukku
Marathi Shyamchi Aai
Odia Pushkara
Tamil Parking
Telugu Bhagavanth Kesari
Gujarati Vash
Music & Performance
Best Female Playback Singer: Shilpa Rao (Chhaliya, Jawan)
Best Male Playback Singer: Premisthunna (Baby, Telugu)
Best Lyrics: Balagam (Telugu)
Best Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant (Dhindora Baaje Re, Rocky Aur Rani)
Best Music Direction (Songs): GV Prakash Kumar (Vaathi)
Best Music Direction (Background Score): Harshavardhan Rameshwar (Animal)
Technical Awards
Best Cinematography: The Kerala Story
Best Editing: Midhun Murali (Pookkaalam)
Best Sound Design: Animal (Hindi)
Best Makeup & Costume Design: Sam Bahadur
Best Production Design: 2018: Everyone is a Hero (Malayalam)
Special Mentions & Others
Best Supporting Actor: Vijayaraghavan (Pookkaalam), Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar (Parking)
Best Supporting Actress: Urvashi (Ullozhukku), Janki Bodiwala (Vash)
Best Child Artists: Sukriti Veni Bandreddi, Kabir Khandane, Treesh Thosar
Best Documentary: God, Vulture and Human
Best Film Critic: Utpal Dutta (Assam)