National Film Awards: Allu Arjun named Best Actor; Alia Bhat, Kriti Sanon share top honours

New Delhi [India], August 24 (ANI): Allu Arjun and his Pushpa magic have once again become the talk of the town. On Thursday, the Malayalam star won the Best Actor award at the 69th National Awards for his performance in 'Pushpa: The Rise'.

'Pushpa' was released in theatres in December 2021. The film not only showcased his exceptional performance but portrayed unmatched dialogue delivery, charismatic swag, and a captivating aura.

The actor's steps from the movie's songs, namely Saami Saami, Srivalli, Oo Antava, became a huge sensation among the audience on a global scale.

Allu Arjun is currently busy shooting for the second part, which will also star Rashmika Mandanna. More details regarding the sequel are awaited.

National Film Awards ceremony is organized every year but was interrupted for 2 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 68th National Film Awards took place last year and honoured the movies released in 2020.

Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon share Best Actor (Female) award

The Best Actor award (Female) for the year is to be shared by Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon for their roles in 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' and 'Mimi'.

'Gangubai Kathiawadi' was released in theatres on February 25, 2022, while 'Mimi' hit the OTT platforms in July 2021.

Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' revolves around a maiden sold by a suitor into prostitution and how she becomes a prominent and celebrated figure in the underworld and Kamathipua red-light district. Alia's stellar performance in the film helped her bag the Best Actress Award at IIFA 2023 and Filmfare Awards 2023.

Kriti was honoured with the Best Actress Award for her role in 'Mimi' at IIFA 2022.

“Dreams do come true! All you need to do is keep working hard towards it and never lose faith! It has taken me 8yrs to get my first Best Actress award. But I’m so happy that I received my first for Mimi – a film I’ll treasure forever, a character that will always be special in my filmography! Thank you @iifa for this validation and for an amazing evening!! Will always be grateful to Dinoo @laxman, Utekar sir for making me your Mimi for life and the whole cast and crew of Mimi for making this journey so memorable!” Kriti wrote on social media after her IIFA win.

'Mimi' tells the story of a young woman named Mimi (Kriti) who agrees to become a surrogate mother for a foreign couple, hoping to use the money to fulfil her dream of becoming an actress. However, the biological parents back out when they learn that the child will be born with Down syndrome. Mimi then decides to raise the child on her own and faces several challenges and societal pressures as a single mother. Her journey as a mother and her struggle to provide for her child despite the odds is both heartwarming and inspiring.

The update about Alia and Kriti sharing the Best Actor Award has left their fans extremely happy. (ANI)