The Ultimate 71st National Film Awards Quiz & Deep Dive: Winners, Controversies, and Insights

The 71st National Film Awards were full of surprises, powerful performances, and a fair share of controversy. From Shah Rukh Khan winning his first-ever National Award to Urvashi questioning her Supporting Actress title, this year’s awards have sparked nationwide discussions.

We’ve put together an exam-level quiz based on real headlines, jury debates, and lesser-known winners — perfect for current affairs prep or just testing how closely you’ve followed Indian cinema in 2025.

Take the quiz first, then scroll down for a full article with insights, background, and the real stories behind the headlines.

📚 Deep Dive: The Real Stories Behind the 71st National Film Awards

The 71st National Film Awards, announced in August 2025, brought a mix of long-overdue wins, political debate, and a significant shift in the landscape of Indian cinema. Unlike previous years where South Indian films dominated, this edition marked a powerful Bollywood resurgence — but not without raising eyebrows.

Bollywood’s Big Comeback

For the past few years, Hindi films were largely sidelined at the National Awards. South Indian cinema — particularly Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada — took center stage, winning the most prestigious categories. However, in 2025, Bollywood reclaimed its dominance with Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji winning Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively.

SRK’s win for Jawan was particularly notable — not only because of the film’s Rs 300 crore budget, but also because it was his first National Award after more than three decades in the industry. Meanwhile, 12th Fail, starring Vikrant Massey, also won Best Actor and took home Best Feature Film. The film proved that low-budget realism (budget ~Rs 20 crore) could still win over the jury.

Controversies: The Kerala Story Debate

One of the biggest controversies came from The Kerala Story winning Best Director (Sudipto Sen) and Best Cinematography. Jury member Pradeep Nair publicly criticized the decision, calling the film “propaganda” that defamed Kerala. He argued it should never have been considered, but other jury members felt it tackled a relevant social issue.

The film claimed that over 32,000 women from Kerala had been radicalised and recruited by ISIS, a number widely questioned. Yet, the film was awarded — leading to questions about how the jury balances political sensitivity with cinematic merit.

Urvashi’s Protest: Lead or Supporting?

Veteran actress Urvashi, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ullozhukku, openly objected to being placed in the supporting category. She felt her role was central to the narrative and even compared the award to “pension money” given to seniors.

Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time. Back in 2006, she won Best Supporting Actress for Achuvinte Amma, where she also played the lead. She urged Union Minister Suresh Gopi to address the issue, highlighting a need for clearer award criteria.

Performances by MS Bhaskar (Parking) and Vijayaraghavan (Pookkaalam) won Best Supporting Actor. Pookkaalam also won for Best Editing. The Telugu film Hanu-Man earned Best Action Choreography, and Balagam‘s song “Ooru Palletooru” brought a Best Lyricist win for Kasarla Shyam.

Documentary with a Difference

One lesser-known but impactful winner was God, Vultures and Human, a documentary produced by Prof Rajesh Chandwani from IIM Ahmedabad. It highlighted the lives of Organ Transplant Coordinators (OTCs) — people who bridge the gap between donor families, hospitals, police, and recipients.

Directed by Rishiraj Agarwal, the film premiered at the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation’s 2024 conference and was later screened at the Dokubaku Film Festival in Azerbaijan. The documentary brought attention to a field rarely discussed in cinema or policy.

Takeaways for Aspirants

For competitive exam aspirants, this year’s awards are a goldmine:

• Big shift in jury mindset: Commercial doesn’t mean low quality anymore.
• Regional cinema still commands respect, but Bollywood is back in form.
• Controversies show how jury decisions aren’t always unanimous.
• Expect factual MCQs around award categories, winners, jury names, and controversies.

Stay updated, stay quiz-ready.