'I hope this win inspires boys and girls who watch thousands of dreams and want to make them come true.'
Film folk celebrated the big wins of the 69th National Film Awards, and the winners seemed grateful enough on social media.
Alia Bhatt shared the Best Actor award (Female) for her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi with Kriti Sanon for Mimi.
Alia shared some happy pictures on Instagram and wrote, 'To Sanjay Sir..To the entire crew..To my family..To my team & last but most definitely not the least.. To my audience..This national award is yours .. because without you ALL none of this would be possible.. seriously!!! I am SO grateful..
I do not take moments like these lightly.. I hope to continue to entertain for as long as I can..Love and light.. Gangu (also known as alia)'.
Congratulating Kriti, she added, 'P.S - Kriti. I remember messaging you the day I saw Mimi .. it was such an honest and powerful performance.. I cried and cried.. so so well deserved.. shine on you star... the world is your oyster.'
An ecstatic Kriti told ANI how she celebrated one of the most memorable moments of her life: "I was in a meeting in the evening and all of a sudden, I started getting non-stop calls. I couldn't understand what was going on. I usually don't step outside the meetings to take calls, but this time I had to, and that's when I really got to know about my win.
"I literally froze for a few seconds. I told my manager to hold the meeting for a while. I quickly ran towards my parents and shared the news with them. We hugged, we cried...We all got so emotional."
Kriti and her family celebrated the big day with a pizza party at home.
"At my house, impromptu celebrations mean ordering a pizza," she said with a laugh. "Be it New Year or any random occasion, we like to treat ourselves to pizza. So, after learning about my win, my mother said, 'Let's order some pizzas'. I celebrated this moment by having pizza in my pyjamas with my parents by my side.
"I thank God and my fans for everything. My prayers have been answered. I have a diary in which I write about my life, my dreams and my goals. After working in Mimi, I had penned down in my diary that I would win the National Award for my performance in this film and I won it.
"I hope this win inspires boys and girls who watch thousands of dreams and want to make them come true."
On Instagram, Kriti thanked Mimi Producer Dinesh Vijan and Director Laxman Utekar, and also congratulated Alia: 'Congratulations Aliaaaa! So so well deserved! I've always admired your work and I'm too excited that I got to share this huge moment with you! Yayyyiiee!! Biggg hug! Let's celebrate!!'
The Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani starrer film Shershaah won the Special Jury Award.
Taking to Instagram, Sidharth and Kiara wrote identical messages: #Shershaah is a special film for me. I'm honoured and humbled as it becomes my first film to win a National Award. Thank you and congratulations to our entire team #VishnuVardhan, @isandeepshrivastava , @karanjohar, @dharmamovies, @shabbirboxwalaofficial, @kiaraaliaadvani, @azeemdayani, @baidnitin and the rest of the cast.
'And finally, where it all started, thank you to @batra7478 and family for trusting us to tell this braveheart's story.#NationalFilmAwards2023.'
Producer Karan Johar posted, 'What an absolute honour! Extending my deepest gratitude to @mib_india & to the esteemed @official.anuragthakur for recognising our film #Shershaah worthy of the prestigious National Award. You will so rarely find all the right people at the right time -- come together with their buzzing creative energies and passion to create something special…that turns into something EXTRAORDINARY! Shershaah was that for us. Thank you for giving us your unabashed love. Yeh dil maange more!'
Vicky Kaushal's Sardar Udham won the Best Hindi Film Feature Award.
Congratulating the entire team of Sardar Udham, Vicky shared a post on his Instagram account which he captioned, 'Congratulations team!!! Honoured and grateful to be a part of #SardarUdham … To Irrfan Sir!'
R Madhavan's film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect won an award for Best Feature Film.
Madhavan posted, 'Today is an overwhelming day for Team Rocketry, and everybody involved with this film. Getting the national award for the Best Feature film has given us the belief that Nambi Narayanan Sir will finally get the recognition he so richly deserves, and that has been our only mission. The love of the audience around the world and the recognition bestowed upon us today has completely humbled me and I do not take this lightly.
'This has inspired me to give even more of myself to this wonderful profession I am in, and I hope to entertain all of you, as best as I can in the years to come.
'My heartfelt and BIG Congratulations to all the other National award winners and contenders who have put an extraordinary effort to get this recognition and come this far. On behalf of Team Rocketry and my family, our deepest gratitude to the Jury, Nambi sir and most IMPORTANTLY the film goers and audiences for the incredible recognition and honor. Jai Hind.'
Anupam Kher-starrer The Kashmir Files won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.
Taking to X, Kher wrote, 'NATIONAL AWARD: Delighted and proud that #TheKashmirFiles won the prestigious and most important #NationalAward - Nargis Dutt award for #BestFeatureFilm on national integration. Not only as an actor but also being an executive producer on the film I am so happy for this recognition for our film.
'Would have loved to win an award for my acting too. Par agar saari khwahishein poori ho jaaye to aage kaam karne ka maza aur utsaah kaise aega! Chaliye! My heartfelt congratulations to every winner! Jai Ho!'
The Kashmir Files Director Vivek Agnihotri said, "I am in America and got the news in the morning that The Kashmir Files has won the 69th National Award. It is one of the most prestigious awards of our country.
"I have always said that The Kashmir Files is not only my film but it's a film for all the Kashmiris, who have been the victim of terrorism in the Valley. It's the voice of plight of Kashmiris who faced terrorism and it's medium through which their pain was shared with the whole country. I dedicate this award to all the victims of terrorism."
Vishnu Mohan won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for his Malayalam thriller, Meppadiyan.
Speaking to ANI, Vishnu Mohan said, "I am very happy. This is my first film. The story, script and direction were done by me. I am very happy."
Esha Deol's short film Ek Duaa won a Special Mention (Non-feature film) and she wrote, 'Over the moon as my film EK DUAA has won at the 69th NATIONAL AWARDS. As a producer & actor in this film to get this recognition in the non feature special mention award means the world to me. The subject of our film is about female foeticide, save the girl child & for this to get recognition at the National awards is so overwhelming.
'I want to thank everyone & specially my fans for their love support prayers & duaas. Congratulations to the entire team of Ek Duaa & specially my director Ramkamal Mukerjee for making this film together with me. Much love & gratitude.'
