71st National Film Awards | Controversial 'The Kerala Story' wins Best Direction; Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, Rani Mukerji bag top honours

'12th Fail' was adjudged the best film, while Sudipto Sen, the maker of the controversial 'The Kerala Story', was chosen as the best director by a jury headed by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.

New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Friday won National Film Award for best actor for the first time in his 37 years of acting career for his 2023 movie Jawan, sharing the honour with Vikrant Massey for his film 12th Fail. Rani Mukerji was named the best actress of 2023 for her performance in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway.

Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the 12th Fail was also adjudged the best film while Sudipto Sen, the maker of the controversial The Kerala Story, was chosen as the best director by a jury headed by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.

Chidananda Naik won the best script writer award in non-feature film category for his Kannada film Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know… while K Yashoda Prakash directed Kandeelu - The Ray of Hope.

Karan Johar-directed Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani won the award for best popular film for wholesome entertainment while Meghna Gulzar's Sam Bahadur was named best feature film promoting national, social and environmental values.

Announcing the awards, Gowariker told reporters that all awards were chosen unanimously and no films or artistes were chosen when there was difference of opinion. He was responding to a question whether there was unanimity in the jury while choosing two awards for The Kerala Story.