71st National Film Awards: Mohanlal to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award amid controversies

Announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on August 1, Mohanlal’s award recognizes his four-decade career spanning over 400 films and five National Awards for acting excellence.

While the event celebrates cinematic milestones, this year’s awards have sparked heated debate. Sudipto Sen’s controversial film The Kerala Story won Best Direction, triggering objections from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other state leaders. They argue that the film promotes a divisive political narrative and spreads false claims about “love jihad.” The cinematic jury member Praveen Nair confirmed internal dissent, revealing he opposed the decision but was overruled.

Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan clinched his first National Award for Best Actor (Leading Role) for Pathaan (2023), ending a 31-year wait. Co-winner Vikrant Massey won for 12th Fail, while veteran actress Rani Mukerji secured Best Actress for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, marking her maiden National Award. Malayalam star Urvashi voiced dissatisfaction, believing her Best Supporting Actress win for Ozhukku merited a leading actress honour instead.

The Silver Lotus Awards also recognized technical excellence: Prashantu Mohapatra for cinematography in The Kerala Story, Harshvardhan Rameshwar for Animal’s background score, and Sachin Sudhakaran for sound design. Regional cinema shone as Parking (Tamil) and Bhagwant Kesari (Telugu) received multiple accolades, while 12th Fail was named Best Feature Film.

Since its inception in 1954, the National Film Awards have evolved to include diverse categories across languages and technical disciplines. This year’s winners embody India’s rich cinematic tapestry, even as controversies underscore the complex intersection of art, politics, and society.