National Awards 2025: Shah Rukh Khan Lost It To THESE 4 Actors Before Finally Winning After 33 Years, Check

Shah Rukh Khan has finally won his first-ever National Award at the National Awards 2025, after a long wait of 33 years. The award was announced on August 1, 2025. He shared the Best Actor title with Vikrant Massey. While Vikrant won it for 12th Fail, Shah Rukh was recognised for his dual role in Jawan, directed by Atlee.

Shah Rukh started his film career back in 1992 with Deewana. Over the years, he gave strong performances in many well-known films, but a National Award always stayed out of reach until now.

Missed Chances Before National Awards 2025

There were several times when Shah Rukh was expected to win but didn’t. In 2002, he was praised for Devdas, but the Best Actor award went to Ajay Devgn for The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Later, his role in Swades received critical praise, but Saif Ali Khan won that year for Hum Tum.

In 2007, Chak De! India became a popular and impactful film. It even won the National Award for Best Popular Film. But the Best Actor prize went to Prakash Raj for Kanchivaram. Again in 2010, Shah Rukh’s performance in My Name Is Khan was appreciated, but the award was shared by Dhanush and Salim Kumar for their regional films.

Jawan Wins It For Shah Rukh Khan

It was Jawan that finally brought the award home. In the film, Shah Rukh played both an army officer and a masked vigilante. The film was a major commercial success and highlighted his versatility. Directed by Atlee, Jawan gave him a strong comeback and helped him secure his first National Award.

The 71st National Film Awards for the Best Actor in a Leading Role goes to Shah Rukh Khan for his winning performance in Jawan.#Jawan #ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/etAw1Do9Gf

— Red Chillies Entertainment (@RedChilliesEnt) August 1, 2025

After the announcement, Shah Rukh posted a video thanking the jury, the filmmakers, and his family. He also credited director Atlee for trusting him with the role. His message reflected how much the award meant to him.

With the long-awaited award in his pocket after National Awards 2025 win, Shah Rukh is now preparing for King, his next film with director Siddharth Anand. After a successful projects like Pathaan, Jawan in 2023 and this major recognition, fans are eager to see what he does next.