Shah Rukh Khan, who is generally called one of Hindi cinema’s most famous stars, recently won the Best Actor award at the 71st National Film Awards for his role in “Jawan.” This ended a 33-year drought for the National Film Awards. This huge triumph has not only made his many supporters happy, but it has also brought up old arguments about a major perceived snub: his critically lauded portrayal in the 2004 movie “Swades,” which lost to Saif Ali Khan’s performance in “Hum Tum.”
The “Swades” Controversy: A New Video and Fans Agree
For years, both reviewers and fans have mostly agreed that Shah Rukh Khan’s performance as Mohan Bhargav in Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Swades” was the best of his career and his best chance to win a National Award. But in 2004, Saif Ali Khan won the Best Actor award for his part in “Hum Tum.”
A video that has just come back to light from a Tag Heuer event in the late 2000s gives us a look at how Shah Rukh Khan felt about the decision in 2004. Shah Rukh, who was on stage alongside director Kunal Kohli and presenter Mandira Bedi, talked up the subject directly after jokingly saying that he liked all movies and stars. “Fanaa” was really good. I thought Hum Tum was great. He said, “His actor won the National Award for Hum Tum when I think I should have gotten it, but that’s a different story.” He then laughed, while Kunal Kohli smiled shyly.
After Shah Rukh won the National Award recently, this video got a lot of attention on Reddit. The title is “Throwback to the time SRK publicly said that he should have won the National Award in 2005 for Swades than Saif for Hum Tum.” A lot of people who commented agreed with what Shah Rukh said. One person said, “I agree here.” I can’t believe that even Hum Tum was thought to as a good choice for Saif to win the prize. I liked Hum Tum, but did I think it was good enough for Saif to win a National Award? No, not at all! Another person said, “He really deserved it for Swades, to be honest.”
One fan tried to explain the 2004 decision by saying, “Unfortunately for him, TS Nagabharana was on the jury that year and openly questioned the integrity of Swades, even claiming it plagiarized his own film.”
The Effect of ‘Swades’ on Box Office Performance
Even though critics loved “Swades,” film didn’t do well at the box office. Shah Rukh Khan has said many times that the lukewarm reception of these kinds of experimental movies at the box office affected his career choices, making him want to work on more commercial projects. A lot of admirers have wondered if winning a National Award for “Swades” would have changed this path. A Reddit user said, “What a shame.” Even though Swades didn’t win an award, it’s still good. But it would have been a terrific occasion for him and would have helped him get over the scars left by Swades’ BO failure. He might have picked comparable movies at least once more, but he never did since Swades’ BO failure.
A Shared Victory and Heartfelt Thanks at the 71st National Film Awards
Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey both won the Best Actor award at the 71st National Film Awards. Massey was also awarded for his great work in “12th Fail.” Rani Mukerji won Best Actress for “Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway,” while “12th Fail” won Best Film.
Throwback to the time SRK publicly said that he should have won the National Award in 2005 for Swades than Saif for Hum Tum.
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After he won, Shah Rukh Khan posted a touching video message of thanks on Instagram. He thanked Atlee, the director of “Jawan,” his loyal followers, his whole staff, and his family. Shah Rukh said that the National Award is not simply about winning. It’s a reminder that my work is important. It tells me to keep going, keep working hard, keep making things, and keep serving the movies. It’s a gift to be heard in a world full of noise. And I guarantee that this acknowledgment will not be the end of my efforts, but rather the fire I need to keep working hard, learning, and giving back. This honor reminds me that acting isn’t only a job; it’s also a duty to show the truth on television.