Starry Touch: Mohanlal, Shah Rukh, Rani Mukerji, Vikrant Massey Conferred National Awards

Photo Credit-X Handle of IB Ministry

New Delhi – President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred National Awards for acting to Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey and Rani Mukerji while Malayalam superstar Mohanlal was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke lifetime achievement award in a ceremony that doffed its hat to mainstream popular cinema.

Filmmakers Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who took home the best film prize for“12th Fail”, and Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehra, who received the award for“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Kahaani” for best popular film providing wholesome entertainment, completed the starry ensemble at the 71st National Film Awards.

The best director award went to Sudipto Sen for“The Kerala Story”.

The National Awards for 2023 were announced in August. It's the first National Award for friends and frequent collaborators Shah Rukh and Rani as well as for Vikrant. While Shah Rukh got it for his role in“Jawan”, sharing his win with“12th Fail” star Vikrant, Rani bagged it for“Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway”.

There were whistles and loud cheers as Rani and Shah Rukh went up to receive their awards at the traditionally sober ceremony. Mohanlal, recognised for a remarkable career spanning five decades and more than 360 films, got a standing ovation from the crowd gathered at the city's Vigyan Bhawan.

“I got to know that when Mohanlal's name was announced for Dadasaheb Phalke, there was wave of happiness among people. It shows that he has made a space for himself in countless people's heart,” the president said in her address after the award ceremony.

“He has presented the softest of the soft and toughest of the tough emotions quite naturally,” Murmu added in a speech in which she congratulated all the winners and touched on various issues, including the plurarity of Indian cinema, Indian sensibility and women-centric films.

“Now we see women in many places in cinema like actors and producers. I have seen films about mothers, women uniting against societal wrongs, and strong women who raise their voices. I salute these filmmakers on behalf of sisters and daughters.

Please thank your crews for your success, they are behind it,' she said.

Just like Indian literature is created in various Indian languages, the president said, Indian cinema is advancing in so many languages, dialects, regions and local environments.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke of the Make in India initiative of the government.

“Equipment used in the film industry such as big cameras... should be made in India. We will be started a programme on this soon,” he said. The minister also stressed on the need to create a live concert economy with proper policy support, uniform guidelines and easy permissions.

As the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke, Mohanlal was the only awardee who spoke.

He said he was deeply humbled to be the youngest recipient, and“only the second ever” from the state to be bestowed with this national recognition.

“This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema fraternity. I see this award as a collective tribute to our industry, legacy, creativity and resilience,” added the 65-year-old movie legend known for landmark films such as“Iruvar”,“Vanaprastham”,“Pulimurugan” and“Drishyam”.

Hindi cinema dominated the awards in the main categories.

Among those presented awards were Meghna Gulzar and Ronnie Screwvala for the biopic on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw“Sam Bahadur”, the best film promoting national, social and environmental values.

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