69th Film Awards: Waheeda Rahman, Alia Bhatt to Allu Arjun, top honours for best of Indian Cinema

At the 69th National Film Awards, New Delhi celebrated notable actors and films, honoring cinematic excellence.

Updated: October 17, 2023 20:23 IST

69th National Film Awards

69th National Film Awards: President Draupadi Murmu honored the best of Indian cinema at the glittering National Film Award ceremony held at New Delhi on Tuesday. Allu Arjun, Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon were among the top stars that were conferred the awards by the President.

Filmmaker Ketan Mehta, heading an 11-member jury, declared the awards for films censored in 2021 during the announcement made in August.

Allu Arjun was honored with the Best Actor award for his exceptional portrayal in Sukumar’s “Pushpa: The Rise,” while the Best Actress award was shared by two talented actors.

Alia Bhatt, dressed in her Sabyasachi wedding saree, received recognition for her compelling performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Gangubai Kathiawadi,” and Kriti Sanon was acknowledged for her remarkable role in Laxman Utekar’s “Mimi.”

Pankaj Tripathi was bestowed with the Best Supporting Actor award for his nuanced performance in Mimi. Whereas Pallavi Joshi was recognized as the Best Supporting Actress for her role in “The Kashmir Files.”

During the ceremony, Alia Bhatt gracefully accepted her Best Actress award, adorned in her off-white saree with flowers in her hair. Accompanied by her husband Ranbir Kapoor, she expressed her gratitude on the red carpet, describing her National Award win for “Gangubai Kathiawadi” as a surreal experience.

On a similar note, R. Madhavan proudly received the Best Feature Film award for “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect,” a moment he deemed truly rewarding, as expressed during his time on the red carpet.

Ahead of the ceremony, National Award recipients including Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Karan Johar, and Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta flew from Mumbai to Delhi. Similarly, Allu Arjun, SS Rajamouli, and MM Keeravaani were seen at the Delhi airport on Monday.

Amid thunderous applause, Waheeda Rahman, the esteemed actress graciously accepted the award and was visibly moved during her heartfelt speech. Expressing profound gratitude, she extended her thanks to the array of professionals, including producers, directors, writers, costume designers, and makeup artists, with whom she has collaborated throughout her illustrious career.