National Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India since 1968 to an actress for the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry. The National Film Awards were called the "State Awards for Films" when established in 1954. The State Awards instituted the "Best Actress" category in 1968 as the "Urvashi Award for the Best Actress"; in 1975, the "Urvashi Award" was renamed as the "Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actress". Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of India has presented a total of 56 Best Actress awards to 45 different actresses.
2021 recipients: Alia Bhatt (left) and Kriti Sanon (right)
Nargis Dutt was the first-ever recipient of the Best Actress Award for her performance in Raat Aur Din in 1967.
With five wins, Shabana Azmi is the most awarded actor in this category. She is also the actress with most consecutive wins (3).
Shobana is two time winner for two different Languages -Manichitrathazhu (1993 Malayalam) and Mitr, My Friend ( 2001 English).
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.
Vigyan Bhawan, where the National Film Awards are presented annually
Image: Allu Arjun at 62nd Filmfare awards south
Image: Alia Bhatt at Berlinale 2022 Ausschnitt
Image: Kriti Sanon at Adipurush pre release event (2) (cropped)
