Rani Mukerji addresses National Award controversies, says 'there's no value' in award if people find actor undeserving

Rani Mukerji, who won her first National Award recently, spoke about the validation from an award win when people feel it is well-deserved.

Published on: Oct 3, 2025, 10:07:24 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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Actor Rani Mukerji won the first National Film Award of her glittering career earlier this year. The actor won the Best Actress prize for her performance in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway at the 71st National Awards, which were given away last month at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. While Rani's win was unanimously applauded, a few of her colleagues' wins were criticised and even questioned. Over the years, many major awards have given rise to controversies over their choice of winners, and Rani feels an award's value diminishes if it is questioned.

President Droupadi Murmu presents award to Bollywood actor Rani Mukerji during the 71st National Film Awards, in New Delhi, Sept. 23, 2025. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan) (PTI)

Rani on award wins and whether they matter

In a podcast with ANI, the actor said that winning the award after three decades was extra special. "We had the entire country and fans rooting for us," she said, while talking about herself and Shah Rukh Khan, who also won his first National Award this year, "That is the most satisfying feeling because when you win an award and people say 'she doesn't deserve it', there is no value of that award. But when you win an award and people say you deserve it and it is well-earned, that's what makes me feel more fulfilled."

In the same conversation, Rani also touched upon whether awards matter to actors. "Everything matters. I work for my audience. I am working so hard because I want to impress my audience. When I get an award, it makes them happy, and it makes them proud to be my fans. So, of course, winning an award makes it special for them," she added.

Rani and SRK's National Award win

Rani has won a number of Filmfare Awards for Best Actress, but this marked her first National Award win. Same is the case for Shah Rukh Khan who won Best Actor for Jawan. However, Shah Rukh's win was mired in some controversy, when fans of Prithviraj Sukumaran questioned his win over their idol's performance in the critically-acclaimed, The GOAT Life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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