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📰 “🏆 71st National Film Awards: ‘12th Fail’, Shah Rukh & Telugu Cinema Dominate the Spotlight”

TL;DR• “12th Fail” crowned Best Feature Film 🥇.• Shah Rukh Khan (“Jawan”) & Vikrant Massey (“12th Fail”) share first-ever joint Best Actor win 🤯.• Rani Mukerji bags Best Actress for “Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway” 👑.• Telugu industry pockets seven prizes, led by “Bhagavanth Kesari” as Best Telugu Film 🌟.

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What Happened?

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting unveiled the 71st National Film Award winners on 2 Aug 2025 in New Delhi, honouring movies certified during calendar-year 2023.🥂 12th Fail—Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s sleeper hit about an UPSC aspirant—walked away with the Golden Lotus, while its lead Vikrant Massey unexpectedly tied for Best Actor with Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, rewarded for the mass-action juggernaut “Jawan”.

Flashback / Context

The National Film Awards, now in their 71st edition, remain India’s highest state-sponsored cinema honour.🎬 Last year’s (70th) ceremony drew flak for limited South-Indian recognition; this year balances the scales, with Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi films clinching multiple craft trophies.

Who Gains & Who Loses?

Stakeholder

Upside

Downside

New-age Indies

Low-budget dramas like Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery proved a ₹5 cr film can beat ₹500 cr tent-poles.

Multiplex chains may hesitate to allot screens for formulaic remakes.

Telugu Filmmakers

Seven awards—including Best Lyrics (“Ooru Palletooru”), Best Male Playback (PVNS Rohit) & Visual-Effects honours for “Hanu-Man”.

Pressure now mounts to match national quality bar in upcoming festive releases.

Streaming Platforms

Winners spike in searches; Amazon already spotlighted a National Award Winners carousel.

Satellite channels must pay higher syndication fees post-award.

People’s Angle – Why Gen-Z & Young Pros Care

  • Career Goals: Film students eyeing cinematography gigs see Best Debut Film winner Aatmapamphlet (Marathi) as proof that regional voices are finally cashable careers.

  • Wallet Watch: Award buzz often triggers OTT price hikes on hit titles—so queue those watch-lists before the weekend surge.

  • Representation: First-time National Awards for SRK and Rani Mukerji resonate with audiences who grew up on their 2000s blockbusters—nostalgia meets validation.

The Complete Winner Highlights

  • Best Feature Film: 12th Fail

  • Best Actor: Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) & Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)

  • Best Actress: Rani Mukerji (Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway)

  • Best Popular Film: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

  • Best Background Score / Sound Design: Animal 🎧.

  • Best Telugu Film: Bhagavanth Kesari (7 total awards for Tollywood).

(Full category list linked in Press Release – MIB)

MediaFx Take

The 71st edition proves that content-first cinema is winning boardroom battles.🏅 Yet transparency on jury selection and regional screening access still needs a digital overhaul—why not livestream jury discussions like the Oscars shortlists? Until then, we’ll celebrate the wins while pushing for an even more open process next year.✨



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