Shah Rukh Khan has officially been awarded his first-ever National Film Award for his act in Jawan, which is a major milestone in his long-standing career. The superstar was awarded the honor at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony on September 23, 2025. As he walked in to pick up the award, he was received with huge accolades by Sanjay Jaju, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary, who referred to him as “The King of Arts.”
While introducing him with a humble heart, Jaju said, “The man whose smile transcends borders and whose dialogues are now a part of our common vocabulary is receiving his first award. His rags-to-riches journey from Delhi theatre to international stardom is a tale in itself.”. Main kaun hoon, kya hoon, ya sirf Jawan hoon — the answer is simple: he is not just a National Award winner but the King of Arts.” Overwhelmed, Shah Rukh responded with a flying kiss, a moment that soon went viral online.
The 71st National Film Awards highlighted the diversity of Indian films by language and genre. 12th Fail, which was directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, was awarded Best Feature Film, while the satirical comedy Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery received the Best Hindi Film award. Shah Rukh Khan for Jawan and Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail shared the Best Actor award. Best Actress went to Rani Mukerji for her gripping performance in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway.
In another high point, Malayalam icon Mohanlal was declared the winner of Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023 for his iconic contributions to Indian cinema. Working on his next action drama King currently, Mohanlal will be awarded the honor at the same event.
SRK, meanwhile, is also enjoying the release of The Ba*ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan, now streaming on Netflix to positive reviews.
A Journey from Delhi theatre stages to global stardom The introduction of Shah Rukh Khan at Rashtrapati Bhavan for the #71stNationalFilmAward — truly a goosebumps moment @iamsrk #ShahRukhKhan #SRK #KING #NationalFilmAwards #NationalAwards #RashtrapatiBhavan… pic.twitter.com/gtIhuZih0P
— Shah Rukh Khan Universe Fan Club (@SRKUniverse) September 23, 2025
