Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, along with Vikrant Massey, was honoured with his first National Film Award for Best Actor, presented by President Droupadi Murmu.
Published: September 23, 2025 6:58 PM IST
At the 71st National Film Awards, Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey received the Best Actor award. Khan received the honour for his dual role in Jawan, and Massey got it for his performance in 12th Fail. This marked the first National Actor Award for both.
The first national award for Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan was finally honoured with his first National Film Award for Best Actor at a ceremony held today. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to him at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. Vikrant Massey was also awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for his powerful performance in 12th Fail, a film inspired by the real-life journey of Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame tough odds to crack the UPSC exam and become an IPS officer.
#ShahRukhKhan and #VikrantMassey receive National Award for best actor from President Droupadi Murmu 🏆 pic.twitter.com/e4yzQeJwe4
— Take One Filmy (@TakeOneFilmy) September 23, 2025
Why did their performances stand out?
In Jawan, Shah Rukh played two characters and tackled themes of vigilante justice, corruption, and social issues, a mix of mass dialogue, action, and emotion, qualities that combined to resonate strongly with both audiences and the jury. Jawan also performed enormously well at the box office, adding weight to the recognition of SRK’s work. On the other hand, Vikrant Massey’s role in 12th Fail is grounded in realism. He played a character with a difficult journey, Manoj Kumar Sharma, overcoming obstacles to realize his dream of becoming an IPS officer. Massey’s performance was praised for its emotional depth, realism, and ability to show vulnerability without over‑dramatization.
Story Highlights
- Shah Rukh Khan won his first-ever National Film Award for Best Actor for Jawan.
- Vikrant Massey also received the Best Actor award for 12th Fail.
- President Droupadi Murmu presented the honours at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi.
- Both performances were praised, SRK for his dual roles and mass appeal, Massey for emotional depth and realism.
The 71st National Film Awards marked a major milestone for both Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey. While SRK’s powerful double role in Jawan finally earned him his first National honour after decades in the industry, Vikrant’s raw, grounded portrayal in 12th Fail proved that strong storytelling and authentic performances still win hearts, and awards.
