Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan won the Best Actor award at the 71st National Film Awards for his performance in ‘Jawan’. While the actor is humbled and elated with the win, and has shared a heartfelt video expressing the same, his fans are not happy, it seems. They have flooded social media, questioning why it took 33 years to honour him with the award. And more importantly, they questioned the neglect of his other roles in films like Devdas, which was released in 2002, Swades and Veer Zara in 2004, and Chak De! India in 2007.

SRK in ‘Jawan’

Shah Rukh Khan appeared in a double role in Jawan in 2023. The action thriller directed by Atlee highlighted the corruption and injustice in society, which resonated with a large audience and became a factor of mass appeal. Jawan’s overall box office collection broke all records and collected over Rs 1000 crore worldwide.

However, fans still question whether this was the film Khan should have been honoured with the National Award. Throughout his career in Bollywood, he has given memorable performances for 33 years and continues to commit to the craft with his upcoming film, King, in 2026.

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Fans question National Award’s jury

Fans and netizens did not just celebrate this achievement but questioned the jury for it. “Shah Rukh Khan deserved it long back,” posted a fan on X (formerly Twitter) while sharing the posters of Khan’s films Swades and Chak De! India.

Sharing a clip from Swades, another fan said that the “fifty-second clip shows more emotions” than all of Jawan. Another added, “The system that skipped Swades but honoured Jawan needs introspection. SRK deserved a National Award for Swades.”

A video from the 2000s resurfaced where SRK shared a candid moment on stage at an event. Even SRK thought he deserved the National Award in 2005, as he noted, “Fanaa was very good. I think Hum Tum was very nice. His actor won the National Award for Hum Tum when I think I should have got it, but that’s another story.”

In 2002, the year when Devdas was released, Ajay Devgn bagged the National Award for The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Although SRK’s Chak De! India was recognised as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, but Prakash Raj took home the Best Actor award.

Throwback to the time SRK publicly said that he should have won the National Award in 2005 for Swades than Saif for Hum Tum.
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On the other hand, sharing a clip from his award-winning performance, the Internet was praising Jawan. “This scene single-handedly deserves a National Award,” opined a user. A popular page dedicated to Bollywood shared, “The wait was unjustified because his legacy is bigger than any recognition,” identifying Shah Rukh Khan’s legacy in films like My Name Is Khan, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaenge, and Veer Zara, among others.

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‘It is not just an achievement’: Khan expresses gratitude

Shah Rukh Khan issued a statement shortly after he was honoured, in which he addressed that this award was “not just an achievement, but a reminder to keep going”. “In a world full of noise, to be heard is a blessing,” he added. His message resonated that “acting wasn’t just a job” for him, but a responsibility.

Sharing this post on his social media account, he shared along with his video, “Thank you for honouring me with the National Award. Thanks to the jury, the I&B ministry… Iss samman ke liye Bharat Sarkar ka dhanyawaad. Overwhelmed with the love showered upon me. Half a hug to everyone today.”