71st National Film Awards: Kathal, 12th Fail and SRK shine as socially relevant cinema takes center stage

12th Fail wins Best Film, SRK & Vikrant share Best Actor, Rani bags Best Actress at 71st National Awards. OTT films like Kathal gain recognition as Indian cinema celebrates powerful storytelling and performances.

New Delhi: The announcement of the 71st National Film Awards, held for the films of 2023, once again proved that Indian cinema is not just entertainment but also a mirror of society. In this year's awards, those films and actors who touched the hearts of the audience with their stories and acting shone.

The magic of Kathal and 12th Fail

The film 'Kathal,' released on Netflix, won the Best Hindi Feature Film award. This film is based on a unique social satirical story, in which actors like Sanya Malhotra, Vijay Raj, Rajpal Yadav, and Anant V. Joshi gave brilliant performances.

At the same time, '12th Fail' got the title of Best Feature Film. This film is based on the struggle of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, in which Vikrant Massey won everyone's heart by playing the lead role.

Vikrant Massey shares award with Shsh Rukh Khan

This year the Best Actor award was shared between two actors. Shah Rukh Khan brought alive the character of a soldier and an avenging father through his double role in 'Jawaan,' while Vikrant Massey impressed everyone with his acting in '12th Fail.' The Best Actress title went to Rani Mukerji for her brilliant performance in 'Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway.' The film, based on a mother's legal battle, moved audiences across the world.

Winners in Technical and Other Categories

In the technical categories, 'The Kerala Files' won the Best Cinematography award, while Vaibhavi Merchant won the Best Choreographer award for 'Dhindora Baaje Re' (Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani). 'Animal' received a special mention, while 'Bhagwant Kesari' was named Best Telugu Film.

In the non-feature category, 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know were awarded for Best Film Script. In the field of film criticism, Utpal Dutta won the Best Film Critics award.

The 71st National Film Awards proved that the importance of films with good stories and social concerns is increasing in Indian cinema. These awards are not only an inspiration for filmmakers and artists but also encourage the audience to watch serious and entertaining cinema.

This year's awards also showed how films released on OTT platforms are also making a mark at the national level.