By awarding Mohanlal and Shah Rukh Khan despite the content of their films , L2: Empuraan and Jawan, the 71st National Film Awards sought to balance out the criticism that the Centre favours ‘propaganda films’
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award, India’s highest honour in cinema, at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday (September 23). The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu. In his acceptance speech, the veteran actor said cinema was “the beating heart of my soul, which empowers my art and creativity.”
He reminded the gathering that he was only the second ever recipient from Kerala after Adoor Gopalakrishnan, and the youngest in the award’s history. “This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema fraternity,” he said, before quoting poet Kumaran Asan’s Veenapoovu: “Chithayilaazhnnu poyathumallo chiramanoharamaya poovithu (This flower did not merely fall into the dust, it lived a life of beauty).” He dedicated the award to all the forerunners of Malayalam cinema who, in his words, “bloomed with brilliance and faded with grace, leaving behind a fragrance that continues to inspire.”
Fondly called Lalettan, Mohanlal has enthralled audiences for nearly five decades with performances across drama, action, comedy, and tragedy: from Manjil Virinja Pookkal to Rajavinte Makan, Kireedam, Bharatham, Kilukkam, Spadikam and Vanaprastham, alongside memorable turns in Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar and Ram Gopal Varma’s Company. His filmography of over 350 titles has spanned not just Malayalam but Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi cinema. For the audience at Vigyan Bhawan, his Phalke Award acceptance felt like the sanctification of a living legacy.
“When I first received the news from the Centre, I was overwhelmed not merely by the honour, but by the privilege of being chosen to carry forward the voice of our cinematic tradition. I believe this is destiny’s gentle hand, allowing me to accept this award on behalf of all those who have shaped Malayalam cinema with their vision and artistry. To be honest, I never dared to dream of this moment, not even in my wildest dreams. And so this is not a dream come true, this is something far greater. It's magical, it’s sacred,” he said.
Over his career, Mohanlal has won five National Film Awards and nine Kerala State Film Awards. Besides acting, he has also supported cultural initiatives in Kerala and engaged in philanthropic work. His Phalke honour marked a high point of the evening; he received a standing ovation from the audience.
First National Awards for SRK, Rani, and Vikrant
Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Vikrant Massey received their first National Awards in the acting category, a highlight of this year’s ceremony. Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey shared the Best Actor award. Khan was recognised for Jawan, Atlee’s commercial juggernaut that combined mass action with commentary on unemployment and agrarian distress, and became one of Hindi cinema’s highest-grossing films with collections above Rs 1,000 crore. For Khan, who has ruled the box office for three decades, this was his first National Award. Massey’s win was for 12th Fail, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s modestly budgeted film that became a sleeper hit, grossing nearly Rs 70 crore.
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Based on the life of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, the film relied on Massey’s grounded performance to capture the grit of aspirational India. Rani Mukerji received the Best Actress award for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, directed by Ashima Chibber. The film dramatises the true story of Sagarika Chakraborty, whose children were taken away by Norwegian authorities in 2011. Mukerji’s portrayal of a mother fighting the legal system on foreign soil was praised for its understated strength. On stage at Vigyan Bhawan, Mukerji dedicated the award to women who fight battles both public and private. Critics had hailed her performance as one of her most poignant in two decades of work.
The ceremony also drew attention for the stars’ sartorial choices. Shah Rukh Khan opted for a black bandhgala, paired with shades and an ear cuff. Rani Mukerji chose a brown saree, accessorised with matching jewellery and a small bindi; she also kept her hair loose and makeup minimal. Vikrant Massey arrived in a classic white bandhgala.
Spotlight on regional films
The awards also highlighted the diversity of Indian cinema through regional films. Vash, a Gujarati film, was named Best Feature Film. The Best Hindi Film award went to Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery, a film that combined humour with social critique. Other regional films like Parking (Tamil), Bhagwanth Kesari (Telugu), and The Ray of Hope (Kannada) were also recognised for their excellence. Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti-directorial Naal 2 (Marathi) was adjudged the Best Children’s Film, with four-year-old Treesha Thosar receiving the Best Child Artiste Award.
In technical categories, Best Cinematography was awarded to Little Wings (Tamil), while Best Editing went to Jawan (Hindi). The Best Music Direction award was presented to Santhosh Narayanan for Jai Bhim (Hindi), and lyricist Kasarla Shyam Kumar received the National Award for Best Lyrics for the song Ooru Palletooru from the Telugu film Balagam. The Best Debut Director award was conferred upon Piyush Rathore for his film The First Film (Hindi), marking the emergence of a promising new voice in Indian cinema.
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The Best Short Fiction Film award went to Gidh: The Scavenger, a film that captured the complexities of human emotions in a concise narrative. In the non-feature categories, Flowering Man was awarded Best Non-Feature Film, while God Vulture and Human received the Best Documentary award. The Best Writing on Cinema award was presented to Utpal Datta for his insightful critiques and analyses of Assamese cinema.
The award’s diminishing credibility
IN recent years, the 71st National Film Awards have faced criticism for allegedly prioritising ideological alignment over artistic merit. Critics argue that the inclusion of films with overt political narratives, such as The Kerala Story, reflects a troubling trend where awards are used as instruments to promote specific ideological agendas. This shift has led to concerns that the awards, which were considered to be a symbol of artistic excellence once, are now being manipulated to serve political purposes, thereby eroding their credibility and the trust of the public and the film industry.
The Kerala Story, which won Best Director (Sudipto Sen) and Best Cinematography (Prashantanu Mohapatra) awards, has been at the centre of controversy due to its portrayal of religious conversions and alleged ISIS recruitment in Kerala. The film’s claim that 32,000 women from Kerala were radicalised and sent to Syria and Yemen has been widely criticised as an unverified and grossly inflated figure. Despite these concerns, the film was honoured at the National Film Awards, leading to accusations that the awards are being used to legitimise divisive ideology under the guise of cinema.
The recognition of The Kerala Story has sparked widespread condemnation from various quarters of the film industry and academia. Jury member Pradeep Nair objected to the film's inclusion, labelling it as propaganda, but his dissent was reportedly dismissed by other jury members. Additionally, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Students’ Association condemned the decision, describing the film as ‘majoritarian propaganda with a hate-filled agenda.’ Veteran actress Ranjini also criticised the decision, calling the film a ‘fabricated story’ and stating that honouring it ‘tarnishes’ the sanctity of the awards.
The award for The Kerala Story has been perceived by many as an endorsement of a political narrative that aligns with the ruling government's ideology. Critics argue that the film’s recognition undermines the secular and inclusive values that Indian cinema has traditionally upheld. Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the decision as a ‘grave insult’ to the state, accusing the film of spreading ‘misinformation’. This has led to concerns that the National Film Awards are being used as tools to further a political agenda, rather than to honour genuine artistic achievement.
Damage control?
Perhaps it was not a coincidence that on the day Malayalam superstar Mohanlal received cinema’s biggest award, customs officials raided the houses of two other stalwarts of the same industry: Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Dulquer’s residence was raided as part of Operation Numkhor, a crackdown on a racket smuggling luxury cars from Bhutan into India. Two of Salmaan’s luxury vehicles were among the 36 high-end cars seized, which were allegedly brought in using forged documents and tax evasion. Prithviraj Sukumaran’s residence was also part of the raid, aimed to ‘dismantle the network involved in the illegal import and sale of these vehicles.’
Giving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Mohanlal not too long after his film L2: Empuraan was under fire shows has led to murmurs that the superstar has found favour with the Centre once again. Empuraan had faced heat for the way it showed the 2002 Gujarat riots — the makers even agreed to 24 cuts after protests. Soon after the film’s release, the Enforcement Directorate raided offices of producer Gokulam Gopalan (Gokulam Movies), and income-tax notices landed at the doorstep of its director Prithviraj Sukumaran. By honouring Mohanlal, the government could claim to be celebrating excellence in Malayalam cinema, which is hard to ignore given the slew of exquisite films coming out from the industry year after year, while keeping a distance from the controversies around his collaborators.
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Shah Rukh Khan’s first National Award for Jawan can be read as another carefully symbolic move. After years of fraught relations with the establishment — ranging from political trolling to box-office boycotts — 2023 marked his triumphant return to superstardom with Pathaan and Jawan. By awarding Jawan, a mass entertainer that took digs at the establishment by talking about unemployment and farmers’ struggles while giving fans all the masala they love. The jury recognised not just a performance but the sheer phenomenon of SRK reclaiming the big screen.
It also allowed the awards to align with the public mood, given the film’s Rs 1,000-crore success, while silencing criticism that the institution ignores Bollywood’s most bankable names. In one stroke, the award rehabilitated SRK’s relationship with the state and reaffirmed the National Awards’ relevance to mainstream audiences. Thus, in contrast to the ideological storm around The Kerala Story, Mohanlal and SRK’s honours were reconciliatory gestures towards balance. The message was clear: honour the icons people still believe in, and try to balance out the criticism that the awards are sliding into propaganda.
The 71st National Film Awards were announced on August 1 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the ceremony was organised by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC). The awards recognise films released in 2023 and are based on recommendations from regional juries feeding into a central committee. This year, the Feature Film jury was chaired by Ashutosh Gowariker, with members including filmmaker P. Sheshadri and author Gopalakrishna Pai.
