Rani Mukerji reflects on National Award win alongside Shah Rukh Khan, calls it ‘Particularly meaningful’

srk and rani mukherji national award win

• Rani Mukerji won her first Best Actress National Award at the 71st ceremony.
• She shared the moment with Shah Rukh Khan, who won Best Actor, making it special
• Rani highlights long friendships, prepares for Mardaani 3 release.

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Rani Mukerji recently opened up about the emotional significance of receiving her first National Film Award for Best Actress at the 71st National Film Awards, alongside her longtime friend Shah Rukh Khan, who was honoured with the Best Actor award. In an exclusive interview with Zoom TV, Mukerji said the experience was “particularly meaningful” because the two stars have shared a decades-long journey in the Hindi film industry.

Rani shared, “I think all students here (in the audience) today will understand… If you’ve been on a journey with your friends from a very young age, school, college, helping each other through life, then achieving something together on a platform like that becomes extra special. You’re sharing it with someone who started the journey with you.”

“There’s so much that I imbibed and learned from Shah Rukh - as a professional, as a person, and as an actor. Winning it on that day felt even more special because he has been in the industry for 35 years and I’ve been for 30. With or without National Awards, we’ve never stopped wanting to do our best for our films. I’m a horse in the Chinese calendar. I believe I keep my blinkers on—I don’t look left or right. I always look ahead and focus on what lies forward,” she added.

Celebrities and peers, including Kamal Haasan, congratulated both SRK and Rani on their wins, noting it as a well-deserved acknowledgement of their enduring contributions to Indian cinema.

Rani Mukerji also highlighted the importance of trust, honesty and genuine relationships in her life, citing lasting bonds with colleagues such as Salman Khan, Kajol and Karan Johar that formed long before fame. These friendships, she said, were built on mutual respect and shared memories rather than career ambitions.

Also read: Rani Mukerji seeks blessings at Dagdusheth Ganpati Temple ahead of Mardaani 3, thanks fans for 30 years in cinema

Rani Mukerji and SRK have appeared in several iconic films together, including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chalte Chalte, Veer-Zara, and Paheli, and their on-screen chemistry has long been celebrated by fans.

Rani is now gearing up for the release of Mardaani 3.