The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (Hindi pronunciation:[rədʒət̪kəməl]), is an honour presented annually at the
National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performance in a leading role within the
Indian film industry.[1] Called the "State Awards for Films" when established in 1954, the National Film Awards ceremony is older than the
Directorate of Film Festivals. The State Awards instituted the individual award in 1968 as the "Bharat Award for the Best Actor"; in 1975, it was renamed as the "Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor".[1][2][3] Throughout the past 45 years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of India has presented a total of 52 "Best Actor" awards to 40 actors. Until 1974, winners of the National Film Award received a
figurine and certificate; since 1975, they have been awarded with a "Rajat Kamal" (silver
lotus), certificate and a cash prize.[a][2]
Although the Indian film industry produces films in around 20
languages and dialects,[1] the actors whose performances have won awards have worked in eight major languages:
Hindi (twenty-five awards),
Malayalam (fourteen awards),
Tamil (nine awards),
Bengali (five awards),
Marathi,
Kannada (three awards), English (two awards), and
Telugu (one award).
^In interviews with The Quint and Hindustan Times, the then-jury chairman
Priyadarshan stated that Kumar won the award for Rustom and Airlift, but for technical reasons only one film was mentioned in the list of winners.[51][52]
^"65th National Film Awards"(PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 21. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
The National Film Award for Best Actor, officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor (Hindi pronunciation:[rədʒət̪kəməl]), is an honour presented annually at the
National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performance in a leading role within the
Indian film industry.[1] Called the "State Awards for Films" when established in 1954, the National Film Awards ceremony is older than the
Directorate of Film Festivals. The State Awards instituted the individual award in 1968 as the "Bharat Award for the Best Actor"; in 1975, it was renamed as the "Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actor".[1][2][3] Throughout the past 45 years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of India has presented a total of 52 "Best Actor" awards to 40 actors. Until 1974, winners of the National Film Award received a
figurine and certificate; since 1975, they have been awarded with a "Rajat Kamal" (silver
lotus), certificate and a cash prize.[a][2]
Although the Indian film industry produces films in around 20
languages and dialects,[1] the actors whose performances have won awards have worked in eight major languages:
Hindi (twenty-five awards),
Malayalam (fourteen awards),
Tamil (nine awards),
Bengali (five awards),
Marathi,
Kannada (three awards), English (two awards), and
Telugu (one award).
^In interviews with The Quint and Hindustan Times, the then-jury chairman
Priyadarshan stated that Kumar won the award for Rustom and Airlift, but for technical reasons only one film was mentioned in the list of winners.[51][52]
^"65th National Film Awards"(PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 21. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.