Yami, Kartik and more share their heartfelt reactions to winning National Awards!

The prestigious National Awards were recently announced and Subhadh K Jha shares the heartfelt first reactions of some of the winners.

Best Actor: Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion)

Kartik Aaryan was in disbelief after winning the National Award for Best Actor. “I was numb when I heard about the honour. Of course, I had hoped to win for Chandu Champion. We all worked hard on it. But hoping is one thing and actually winning is quite another. And to share the honour with the great Mammootty sir… wow!”

Best Feature Film: Article 370 And Best Actress: Yami Gautam (Article 370)

Yami Gautam was overwhelmed. She posted on Insta, “Receiving the National Award for Article 370 is an honour I will cherish for the rest of my life. For fourteen years, I have simply tried to stay true to my craft, work with honesty and let my performances speak for themselves. This honour feels like the culmination of a journey filled with hope, perseverance, resilience and an unwavering love for cinema. It is a dream I have carried in my heart for years, and today I receive it with immense gratitude and humility.

“Article 370 was never just another film for me. It was a story I deeply believed in. The fact that it was our home production makes this recognition even more emotional and personal. Every challenge, every conversation and every day on set was driven by one shared purpose — to tell this story with honesty and conviction.”

Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD

Director Nag Ashwin said, “I am very happy about this recognition — not just for the Kalki team, but for everyone involved. I hope it inspires filmmakers to believe that hard work eventually pays off.”

Reacting to the prestigious honour, Prabhas took to his Instagram Stories to share the official award announcement poster with his millions of fans. The actor expressed his happiness and pride over the recognition, celebrating the achievement with the entire team behind the film. Sharing the post, he wrote, “A proud honour for the entire #Kalki2898AD family…”

Best Supporting Actor: Sanjay Mishra for Bhakshak
He says the honour is deeply humbling. “As an actor, all you really hope for is to keep getting good stories and meaningful characters to play. When that journey is recognised with an honour as prestigious as the National Film Awards, there can be no greater feeling. I am deeply grateful for this recognition. Bhakshak is a very important film, and this honour belongs to the entire team.”

Best Hindi Film: Srikanth

Director Tushar Hiranandani dedicated the honour to two loved ones he lost. “What can I say… I am truly happy and thankful to the entire jury, and also to my mother and my father-in-law, whom I lost before the release of Srikanth. I am sad they couldn’t see the film. I lost both of them to cancer. Winning the National Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, feels incredible. I wasn’t even nominated for many of the popular awards, so this makes the recognition even more special.”

Best Debut Film of a Director: Randeep Hooda for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar

After pouring everything into Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, Randeep Hooda says winning the National Award for Best Debut Director is immensely validating. “This film asked more of me than anything I’ve ever done. The journey was filled with challenges, including production hurdles and criticism, but I’m glad we saw it through. As actor, co-writer and first-time director, I gave this film everything because I felt a huge responsibility to tell Veer Savarkar’s story with honesty. I’m grateful to my team. This recognition belongs to all of us, and I hope it inspires people to reflect on Veer Savarkar’s legacy.”

Full Award list

Best Film: Article 370