The winners of the 71st National Film Awards for the year 2023 were announced by the respective juries on 01 August 2025.
The Jury comprised of eminent filmmakers and film personalities from across the Indian cine-world.
Jury Chairperson:
Chairperson of Feature Films Jury:
Central Panel – Sh. Ashutosh Gowariker
Chairperson of Regional Jury:
- North Panel – Sh. Jose Antony Palackapillil
- East Panel – Sh. Shivadhvaj Shetty
- West Panel – Sh. Tushar Hiranandani
- South I Panel – Sh. Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande
- South II Panel – Sh. Malay Ray
Chairperson of Non-feature Films Jury – Sh. P Sheshadri
Chairperson of Best Writing on Cinema Jury – Shri Gopalkrishna Pai
Entries:
This year, the awards saw 332 entries in the feature film category, 115 in non-feature films, 27 books, and 16 critics’ submissions.
The 71st National Film Awards for the year 2023 were announced, celebrating outstanding achievements in Indian cinema, recognising excellence across a wide range of categories including feature films, non-feature films, and writing on cinema.
Highlights of 71st National Film Awards 2023:
- “12th Fail” has been awarded the Best Feature Film at the 71st National Film Awards 2023.
- Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) and Vikrant Massey (12th Fail) have been awarded the Best Actor award. This is Shah Rukh Khan’s first National Film Award in his career.
- Rani Mukerji won the Best Actress award for her powerful performance in “Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway”. This is also her first-ever National Film Award.
- “Flowering Man” won the Best Non-Feature Film award, while “God Vulture and Human” won the Best Documentary award. Both films earned their first National Film Award.
Complete list of 71st National Film Awards 2023
Best Writing on Cinema
Award for Best Film Critic:
Name of Critic: Utpal Datta
- Language: Assamese
- Medal and Cash prize: Swarna Kamal and Rs. 1,00,000/-
71st National Film Awards 2023: Feature Films
| Best Feature Film: 12th Fail (Hindi); Producer: VC Films LLP, Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal Rs. 3,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Debut Film of a Director: Aatmapamphlet (Marathi); Director: Ashish Bende; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (Hindi); Producer: Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Karan Johar; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal Rs. 3,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values: Sam Bahadur (Hindi); Producer: Unilazer Ventures Private Limited; Director: Meghna Gulzar; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal - Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Children's Film: Naal 2 (Marathi); Producer: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Aatpat Productions; Director: Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comic): Hanu-Man (Telugu) Producer: Primeshow Entertainment Pvt Ltd; Director: Prasanth Varma; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- (each) Animator: Jetty Venkat Kumar; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- VFX Supervisor: Jetty Venkat Kumar; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Direction: The Kerala Story (Hindi); Director: Sudipto Sen; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| Best Actor in a Leading Role: 1. Jawan (Hindi); Actor: Shah Rukh Khan 2. 12th Fail (Hindi); Actor: Vikrant Massey Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Actress in a Leading Role Mrs. Chatterjee V/s Norway (Hindi); Actress: Rani Mukerji; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role: 1. Pookkaalam (Malayalam); Supporting Actor: Vijayaraghavan 2. Parking (Tamil); Supporting Actor: Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role: 1. Ullozhukku (Malayalam); Supporting Actress: Urvashi 2. Vash (Gujarati); Supporting Actress: Janki Bodiwala Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Child Artist: 1. Gandhi Tatha Chettu (Telugu); Child Artist: Sukriti Veni Bandreddi 2. Gypsy (Marathi); Child Artist: Kabir Khandare 3. Naal 2 (Marathi); Child Artist: Treesha Thosar, Shrinivas Pokale & Bhargav Jagtap Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Male Playback Singer: Baby (Premisthunna) (Telugu); Singer: PVN S Rohit; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Female Playback Singer: Jawan (Chaliya) (Hindi); Singer: Shilpa Rao; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Cinematography: The Kerala Story (Hindi); Cinematographer: Prasantanu Mohapatra; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Screenplay: 1. Baby (Telugu); Screenplay Writer (Original): Sai Rajesh Neelam 2. Parking (Tamil); Screenplay Writer (Original): Ramkumar Balakrishnan Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (1 & 2 Shared) 3. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai (Hindi); Dialogue Writer: Deepak Kingrani; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Sound Design: Animal (Hindi); Sound Designer: Sachin Sudhakaran & Hariharan Muralidharan; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Editing: Pookkaalam (Malayalam); Editor: Midhun Murali; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Production Design: 2018-Everyone Is A Hero (Malayalam); Production Designer: Mohandas; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Costume Designer: Sam Bahadur (Hindi); Costume Designer: Sachin Lovalekar, Divvya Gambhir, and Nidhhi Gambhir; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Make-up: Sam Bahadur (Hindi); Make-up Artist: Shrikant Desai; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Music Direction: Vaathi (Tamil); Music Director (Songs): G V Prakash Kumar; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- Animal (Hindi); Music Director (Background Music): Harshavardhan Rameshwar; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Lyrics: Balagam (Ooru Palleturu) (Telugu); Lyricist: Kasarla Shyam; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Choreography: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (Dhindhora Baje Re) (Hindi); Choreographer: Vaibhavi Merchant; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| Best Action Direction Award (Stunt Choreography): Hanu-Man (Telugu); Stunt Choreographer: Nandu & Prudhvi; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
Best Feature Film in each of the language specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution
| Best Assamese Film: Rongatapu 1982; Producer: BRC Cine Production; Director: Adityam Saikia; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Bengali Film: Deep Fridge; Producer: Colors of Dream Entertainment; Director: Arjun Dutta; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Gujarati Film: Vash; Producer: Big Box Series Pvt Ltd, K S Entertainment LLP; Director: Krishnadev Yagnik; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Hindi Film: Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery; Producer: Netflix Entertainment Services Pvt. Ltd., Balaji Telefilms Ltd, Sikhya Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Yashowardhan Mishra; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Kannada Film: Kandeelu - The Ray of Hope; Producer: Swastik Entertainment; Director: K Yashoda Prakash; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Malayalam Film: Ullozhukku (Undercurrent); Producer: Unnilazer Ventures Pvt Ltd, Macguffin Pictures; Director: Christo Tomy; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Marathi Film: Shyamchi Aai; Producer: Amruta Films; Director: Sujay Sunil Dahake; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Odia Film: Pushkara; Producer: Tarang Cine Productions; Director: Subhransu Das; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Punjabi Film: Godday Godday Chaa; Producer: VH Entertainment, Zee Studios; Director: Vijay Kumar Arora, Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Tamil Film: Parking; Producer: Soldiers Factory, Passion Studio; Director: Ramkumar Balakrishnan; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Telugu Film: Bhagavanth Kesari (I Don’t Care); Producer: Shine Screens (India) LLP; Director: Anil Ravipudi; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
Best Feature Film in each of the Languages other than those specified in Schedule VIII of the Constitution
| Best Garo Film: Rimdogittanga; Producer: Anna Films, Uncombed Buddha, and Joicy Studio; Director: Dominic Megam Sangma; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Tai Phake Film: Pai Tang (Step Of Hope); Producer: Naba Kumar Bhuyan; Director: Prabal Khaund; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (each) |
Special Mention:
- Animal (Re-Recording Mixer) (Hindi); M R Rajakrishnan; Medal: Certificate
71st National Film Awards 2023: Non-Feature Films
| Best Non-Feature Film: Flowering Man (Hindi); Producer: Film and Television Institute of India; Director: Soumyajit Ghosh Dastidar; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Debut Film of A Director: Mau: The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw (Mizo); Director: Shilpika Bordoloi; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| Best Biographical / Historical Reconstruction / Compilation Film: 1. Mo Bou, Mo Gaan (Odia); Producer: Kicksy Wicksy Films, RNV 1820 Films; Director: Subash Sahoo 2. Lentina Ao - A Light on the Eastern Horizon (English); Producer: NFDC; Director: Sanjib Parasar Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Arts / Culture Film: Timeless Tamil Nadu (English); Producer: Celebrities Management Private Limited; Director: Kamakhya Narayan Singh; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Documentary: God Vulture and Human (English, Hindi & Telugu); Producer: Studio Lichi, Dr. Rajesh Chandwani; Director: Rishiraj Agarwal; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values: The Silent Epidemic (Hindi); Producer: Cinema4good Pvt Ltd, Raahgiri Foundation; Director: Akshat Gupta; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Short Film (Up to 30 Min): Giddh The Scavenger (Hindi); Producer: Ellanar Films; Director: Manish Saini; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- (each) |
| Best Direction: The First Film (Hindi); Director: Piyush Thakur; Medal & Cash Prize: Swarna Kamal- Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| Best Cinematography: Little Wings (Tamil); Cinematographer: Saravanamaruthu Soundarapandi & Meenakshi Soman; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| Best Sound Design: Dhundhgiri Ke Phool (Hindi); Sound Designer: Shubharun Sengupta; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- |
| Best Editing: Moving Focus (English); Editor: Niladri Roy; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- |
| Best Music Direction: The First Film (Hindi); Music Director: Pranil Desai; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- |
| Best Narration/ Voice Over: The Sacred Jack - Exploring The Tree of Wishes (English); Narrator: Harikrishnan S; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- |
| Best Script: Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know… (Kannada); Script Writer: Chidananda Naik; Medal & Cash Prize: Rajat Kamal- Rs 2,00,000/- |
| Special Mention: 1. Nekal - Chronicle of The Paddy Man (Malayalam); Director & Producer: M K Ramadas; Medal- Certificate (each) 2. The Sea And Seven Villages (Odia); Producer: Kadambini Media Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Himansu Sekhar Khatua; Medal- Certificate (each) |
About National Film Awards:
- The National Film Awards are the most prestigious film awards in India.
- The National Film Awards were established in 1954, when the awards were given for the films of the year 1953.
- Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government’s Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973. The Directorate of Film Festivals is an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- The National Film Awards are given in three sections: Feature Films, Non-Feature Films, and Best Writing in Cinema.