71st National Film Awards 2025

The 71st National Film Awards 2025 once again celebrated the finest talent in Indian cinema, recognizing excellence across various categories including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Feature Film, and more. These prestigious awards, presented annually by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, honor films made across languages and regions in India. This year, the awards brought several surprises, emotional moments, and well-deserved recognition to outstanding performances, especially from Bollywood. 

One of the biggest highlights of the ceremony was Vikrant Massey winning the Best Actor Award for his powerful performance in 12th Fail, a biographical drama based on the real-life struggles of a UPSC aspirant. His raw and relatable portrayal struck a chord with both audiences and critics alike. In the Best Actress category, the honor was jointly shared by two Bollywood stars – Alia Bhatt for her role in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon for her performance in Mimi. Alia’s transformation into a fearless brothel madam and Kriti’s emotional depth in portraying a surrogate mother proved their mettle as two of the finest actresses in the industry.

The Best Feature Film Award went to 12th Fail, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film stood out not just for its storytelling, but also for its ability to inspire a generation of dreamers and students. It highlighted the struggle, resilience, and hope of youth coming from underprivileged backgrounds.

Pankaj Tripathi won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Mimi, while Pallavi Joshi bagged the Best Supporting Actress award for The Kashmir Files, further proving the dominance of Bollywood in this year’s awards.

The selection process for the National Film Awards is transparent and thorough. A jury comprising cinema experts reviews all submissions across categories, evaluates performances, direction, storytelling, and technical excellence, and then recommends the winners. The final list is approved by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and announced publicly, usually ahead of India’s Independence or Republic Day.

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This year, the National Awards not only recognized star-studded performances but also showed appreciation for films with strong narratives and social relevance. Bollywood, despite facing competition from regional cinema, made a solid comeback in 2025 with films like 12th Fail, Gangubai Kathiawadi, and Mimi winning top honors.

In conclusion, the 71st National Film Awards 2025 highlighted the evolving landscape of Indian cinema, where content, performance, and impact matter more than ever. The recognition of these films and actors is a celebration of talent, dedication, and the power of meaningful storytelling in Bollywood.