MUMBAI – Veteran actor Anupam Kher has expressed his immense pleasure and relief that superstar Shah Rukh Khan has finally received his first National Film Award, calling the honour “long overdue” and a validation of mainstream cinema.
Shah Rukh Khan, who has completed over three decades in the Hindi film industry, was honoured with the Best Actor award for his performance in the 2023 blockbuster Jawan. He shared the prestigious accolade with Vikrant Massey, who was recognized for 12th Fail, at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony held recently in Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu presented the honours.
‘Swades’ Was 100% Deserving
Anupam Kher, who has shared the screen with Shah Rukh Khan in numerous iconic films, said he was “really glad” about the win, especially given the superstar’s past snubs.
“I am very happy for him, and personally happy that he finally got it after 40 years,” Kher stated. “You can imagine his disappointment — for Swades, he 100 per cent should have got the National Award.”
Kher also mentioned other performances that he believes went unrecognised over the years, including the iconic romantic drama Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. He added that each time Khan went unacknowledged, “he must have felt upset. So I am really glad he has finally received it.”
For the uninitiated, the National Award for Best Actor in the year Swades (2004) was released was won by Saif Ali Khan for Hum Tum. Despite being a critical success and later gaining cult status as one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best roles, Swades was a commercial failure upon release. Shah Rukh Khan did, however, win the Filmfare Award for Best Actor that year.
A Win for Mainstream Cinema
Anupam Kher further highlighted that Shah Rukh Khan’s win is significant because it represents a major recognition of popular, mainstream cinema at the National Awards, which often favour independent or regional films.
“It is a very good thing because it is different from that narrative that you should do a special kind of film [to get a National Award],” Kher noted. He expressed his joy at the gathering of top stars: “I was very happy to see Karan Johar, Rani Mukerji and Shah Rukh Khan sitting together. It was a star-studded blockbuster National Award this year.”
Kher and Khan have a long collaborative history, having worked together in blockbusters like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Mohabbatein, Veer-Zaara, Paheli, and Zamaana Deewana.
Shah Rukh Khan’s next cinematic outing is the action film King, directed by Siddharth Anand, where he will co-star with his daughter Suhana Khan, alongside a massive ensemble cast including Deepika Padukone, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, and Rani Mukerji.