--- title: "Best Actress National Award Winners: Every Winner Since 1967" description: "The Best Actress National Award has been presented annually since 1967 with a Rajat Kamal trophy, where Shabana Azmi holds the all-time record with five wins including three consecutive years,..." url: https://www.nationalfilmawards.in/best-actress-national-award/ date: 2026-06-12 modified: 2026-06-12 author: "Manu Faria" image: https://www.nationalfilmawards.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Best-Actress-National-Award-Winners.webp categories: ["Actress", "Award"] type: post lang: en --- # Best Actress National Award Winners: Every Winner Since 1967 The **Best Actress National Award has been presented annually since 1967 with a Rajat Kamal trophy, where Shabana Azmi holds the all-time record with five wins including three consecutive years, and Nargis Dutt was the inaugural recipient**. This complete database documents every Best Actress winner from 1967 to 2026. It explores Shabana Azmi’s unbeaten historical dynasty, Kangana Ranaut’s modern records, the high frequency of shared awards in this category, and the generational shift from parallel cinema to mainstream blockbusters. !(https://nationalfilmawards.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Best-Actress-National-Award-Winners-1024x539.webp) --- **Table of Contents** 1. What Is the Best Actress National Award? 2. Complete Best Actress National Award Winners List (1967 to 2026) 3. Which Actress Has Won the Best Actress Award the Most Times? 4. Shabana Azmi’s Three Consecutive Years Record 5. Kangana Ranaut’s Three Best Actress Wins 6. When Two Actresses Shared the Best Actress Award 7. Parallel Cinema to Commercial Cinema: How Jury Taste Evolved 8. Recent Best Actress National Award Winners (2018 to 2023) 9. Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Actress National Award --- ## What Is the Best Actress National Award? The **Best Actress National Award is India’s highest acting honor for a female lead performance presented annually since 1967 with a Rajat Kamal trophy and Rs 2,00,000, with Nargis Dutt serving as the inaugural recipient for Raat Aur Din**. The Government of India established this category in 1967. The National Film Awards did not present a Best Actress prize during its first 14 editions from 1954 to 1966. The jury first evaluated female lead performances for films certified in the year 1967. The winner receives a Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) trophy. She also receives a cash prize of Rs 2,00,000. A central jury of filmmakers and critics evaluates performances across all Indian languages. They focus entirely on acting craft, emotional depth, and authenticity. Box office success does not influence their decision. This category honors a single leading performance in a specific movie. It is distinct from the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award recognizes a complete lifetime of contributions to Indian cinema. The Best Actress award recognizes the brilliance of one specific character portrayal. Explore the (/national-film-awards/) to learn about the history of the Silver Lotus trophy. --- ## Complete Best Actress National Award Winners List (1967 to 2026) **The complete list spans 57 editions of the National Film Awards honoring extraordinary female performances across all Indian languages from Nargis Dutt’s inaugural win in 1967 to Rani Mukerji’s victory in 2023**. The following database provides the complete, historically verified list of all Best Actress winners. The “Award Year” reflects the calendar year the film was certified. The “Edition” marks the specific award ceremony. | Award Year | Edition | Actress | Film | Language | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **1967** | 15th | **Nargis Dutt** | Raat Aur Din | Hindi | | 1968 | 16th | Sharada | Thulabharam | Malayalam | | 1969 | 17th | Madhabi Mukherjee | Dibratrir Kabya | Bengali | | 1970 | 18th | Rehana Sultan | Dastak | Hindi | | 1971 | 19th | Waheeda Rehman | Reshma Aur Shera | Hindi | | 1972 | 20th | Sharada | Swayamvaram | Malayalam | | 1973 | 21st | Nandini Bhaktavatsala | Kaadu | Kannada | | **1974** | 22nd | **Shabana Azmi** | Ankur | Hindi | | 1975 | 23rd | Sharmila Tagore | Mausam | Hindi | | 1976 | 24th | Lakshmi | Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal | Tamil | | **1977** | 25th | **Smita Patil** | Bhumika | Hindi | | 1978 | 26th | Sharada | Nimajjanam | Telugu | | 1979 | 27th | Shoba | Pasi | Tamil | | 1980 | 28th | Smita Patil | Chakra | Hindi | | **1981** | 29th | **Rekha** | Umrao Jaan | Hindi / Urdu | | **1982** | 30th | **Shabana Azmi** | Arth | Hindi | | **1983** | 31st | **Shabana Azmi** | Khandhar | Hindi | | **1984** | 32nd | **Shabana Azmi** | Paar | Hindi | | 1985 | 33rd | Suhasini | Sindhu Bhairavi | Tamil | | 1986 | 34th | Monisha | Nakhakshathangal | Malayalam | | 1987 | 35th | Archana | Veedu | Tamil | | 1988 | 36th | Archana | Daasi | Telugu | | 1989 | 37th | Sreelekha Mukherji | Parshuramer Kuthar | Bengali | | 1990 | 38th | Vijayashanti | Karthavyam | Telugu | | 1991 | 39th | Moloya Goswami | Firingoti | Assamese | | 1992 | 40th | Dimple Kapadia | Rudali | Hindi | | 1993 | 41st | Shobana | Manichitrathazhu | Malayalam | | 1994 | 42nd | Debashree Roy | Unishe April | Bengali | | **1995** | 43rd | **Seema Biswas** | Bandit Queen | Hindi | | 1996 | 44th | Tabu | Maachis | Hindi | | 1997 | 45th | Indrani Haldar | Dahan | Bengali | | 1997 | 45th | Rituparna Sengupta | Dahan | Bengali | | **1998** | 46th | **Shabana Azmi** | Godmother | Hindi | | 1999 | 47th | Kirron Kher | Bariwali | Bengali | | 2000 | 48th | Raveena Tandon | Daman | Hindi | | 2001 | 49th | Shobana | Mitr, My Friend | English | | 2001 | 49th | Tabu | Chandni Bar | Hindi | | 2002 | 50th | Konkona Sen Sharma | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | English | | 2003 | 51st | Meera Jasmine | Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam | Malayalam | | 2004 | 52nd | Tara | Hasina | Kannada | | 2005 | 53rd | Sarika | Parzania | English | | 2006 | 54th | Priyamani | Paruthiveeran | Tamil | | 2007 | 55th | Umashree | Gulabi Talkies | Kannada | | 2008 | 56th | Priyanka Chopra | Fashion | Hindi | | 2009 | 57th | Ananya Chatterjee | Abohoman | Bengali | | 2010 | 58th | Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar | Baboo Band Baaja | Marathi | | 2010 | 58th | Saranya Ponvannan | Thenmerku Paruvakaatru | Tamil | | 2011 | 59th | Vidya Balan | The Dirty Picture | Hindi | | 2012 | 60th | Usha Jadhav | Dhag | Marathi | | 2013 | 61st | Geetanjali Thapa | Liar’s Dice | Hindi | | **2014** | 62nd | **Kangana Ranaut** | Queen | Hindi | | 2015 | 63rd | Kangana Ranaut | Tanu Weds Manu Returns | Hindi | | 2016 | 64th | Surabhi Lakshmi | Minnaminungu | Malayalam | | **2017** | 65th | **Sridevi** | Mom | Hindi | | 2018 | 66th | Keerthy Suresh | Mahanati | Telugu | | 2019 | 67th | Kangana Ranaut | Manikarnika & Panga | Hindi | | 2020 | 68th | Aparna Balamurali | Soorarai Pottru | Tamil | | 2021 | 69th | Alia Bhatt | Gangubai Kathiawadi | Hindi | | 2021 | 69th | Kriti Sanon | Mimi | Hindi | | 2022 | 70th | Nithya Menen | Thiruchitrambalam | Tamil | | 2022 | 70th | Manasi Parekh | Kutch Express | Gujarati | | **2023** | 71st | **Rani Mukerji** | Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway | Hindi | Read the (/national-film-awards-winners/) master directory to view winners from every category across these 57 editions. --- ## Which Actress Has Won the Best Actress Award the Most Times? **Shabana Azmi has won the Best Actress National Award the most times with five victories for Ankur, Arth, Khandhar, Paar, and Godmother, making her the undisputed record holder in the history of this category**. Winning multiple Best Actress awards requires immense versatility over a long career. A very small group of actresses have achieved this milestone. | Actress | Total Wins | Films Awarded | Award Years | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Shabana Azmi** | 5 | Ankur, Arth, Khandhar, Paar, Godmother | 1974, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1998 | | **Kangana Ranaut** | 3 | Queen, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Manikarnika & Panga | 2014, 2015, 2019 | | **Sharada** | 3 | Thulabharam, Swayamvaram, Nimajjanam | 1968, 1972, 1978 | | **Smita Patil** | 2 | Bhumika, Chakra | 1977, 1980 | | **Archana** | 2 | Veedu, Daasi | 1987, 1988 | | **Shobana** | 2 | Manichitrathazhu, Mitr My Friend | 1993, 2001 | | **Tabu** | 2 | Maachis, Chandni Bar | 1996, 2001 | Shabana Azmi’s five wins span 24 years. She won her first award for *Ankur* in 1974 and her fifth for *Godmother* in 1998. No other actress has matched this level of prolonged dominance. Sharada achieved an incredible feat by winning her three awards across two different languages. She won twice for Malayalam films and once for a Telugu film. Archana matched this linguistic flexibility by winning for a Tamil film and a Telugu film in consecutive years. Compare these records with the (/best-actor-national-award/) to see how male actors have performed in the same timeframe. --- ## Shabana Azmi’s Three Consecutive Years Record **Shabana Azmi is the only actress in the history of the Best Actress National Award to win the Rajat Kamal for three consecutive calendar years, winning for Arth in 1982, Khandhar in 1983, and Paar in 1984**. This consecutive winning streak remains one of the most astonishing records in Indian cinema. Between 1982 and 1984, the central jury essentially determined that Shabana Azmi had no equal. In 1982, she won for *Arth*. She played a deeply complex wife dealing with her husband’s infidelity. In 1983, she won for *Khandhar*. She played a silent, tragic figure trapped in a ruined estate. In 1984, she won for *Paar*. She delivered a physically exhausting performance as a rural woman fleeing caste violence. The Indian parallel cinema movement powered this incredible streak. Visionary directors wrote incredibly deep roles specifically for her. No other actor or actress has ever won a top National Film Award three years in a row. Kangana Ranaut is the only actress to come close to this specific record in the modern era. She won in two consecutive years for *Queen* (2014) and *Tanu Weds Manu Returns* (2015). Read about the (/national-film-awards-history/) to understand the impact of the parallel cinema movement on jury selections during the 1980s. --- ## Kangana Ranaut’s Three Best Actress Wins **Kangana Ranaut has won the Best Actress National Award three times for Queen in 2014, Tanu Weds Manu Returns in 2015, and for both Manikarnika and Panga in 2019, making her the modern era record holder**. Kangana Ranaut transformed the Best Actress category in the 2010s. She proved that mainstream, commercially successful Hindi films could win top honors if they featured exceptional performances. In 2014, she won for *Queen*. She played a naive woman who travels to Europe alone after a canceled wedding. In 2015, she won for *Tanu Weds Manu Returns*. She played a highly technical double role that required distinct body language and accents. In 2019, she established a unique milestone. The jury awarded her the Best Actress prize for two different films in the exact same year. She won for her performance in the historical epic *Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi* and the sports drama *Panga*. The NFA regulations allow a single actor to win for their collective work across multiple films in a single calendar year. She also holds a Best Supporting Actress National Award for the 2008 film *Fashion*. This brings her total National Film Award acting tally to four. Check the (/national-film-awards-categories/) to see the rules regarding actors winning for multiple films. --- ## When Two Actresses Shared the Best Actress Award **The jury declared two separate actresses as joint winners at least five times including 2021 when Alia Bhatt won for Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon won for Mimi, with both receiving the full Rajat Kamal**. The Best Actress category features a remarkably high frequency of shared awards compared to the Best Actor category. When the central jury cannot separate two exceptional performances, they declare a tie. This has occurred five times in modern NFA history: - **1997:** Indrani Haldar and Rituparna Sengupta (both for *Dahan*) - **2001:** Shobana (*Mitr, My Friend*) and Tabu (*Chandni Bar*) - **2010:** Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar (*Baboo Band Baaja*) and Saranya Ponvannan (*Thenmerku Paruvakaatru*) - **2021:** Alia Bhatt (*Gangubai Kathiawadi*) and Kriti Sanon (*Mimi*) - **2022:** Nithya Menen (*Thiruchitrambalam*) and Manasi Parekh (*Kutch Express*) The 1997 award is unique because both actresses won for their performances in the exact same film. The other instances involved actresses from completely different films, often in different languages. When a tie occurs, the government does not divide the prize. Both actresses receive their own physical Rajat Kamal trophy. Both actresses also receive the full Rs 2,00,000 cash prize. Review the [70th National Film Awards complete winners](/70th-national-film-awards/) to see the full context of the 2022 shared award. --- ## Parallel Cinema to Commercial Cinema: How Jury Taste Evolved **The Best Actress award shifted decisively from parallel cinema actresses like Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi in the 1970s to mainstream commercial stars like Kangana Ranaut, Alia Bhatt, and Priyanka Chopra from 2008 onwards**. The complete winners list tells a fascinating story about the evolution of Indian cinema. Jury preferences have shifted dramatically over the past five decades. During the 1970s and 1980s, the jury heavily favored the parallel cinema movement. Actresses like Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, and Rekha won for deeply serious, unglamorous roles in low-budget artistic films. Mainstream Bollywood actresses almost never won. The 1990s and early 2000s marked a transition. Actresses like Seema Biswas, Tabu, and Konkona Sen Sharma won for bridging the gap between art house and commercial cinema. A permanent shift occurred starting in 2008 when Priyanka Chopra won for the glossy commercial film *Fashion*. In 2011, Vidya Balan won for the massive blockbuster *The Dirty Picture*. Today, mainstream commercial stars consistently win the award. The modern jury believes that a performance in a massive box office hit can possess the same artistic merit as a performance in a small independent film. Explore the (/best-feature-film-national-award/) to see how the Best Film category experienced a similar generational shift. --- ## Recent Best Actress National Award Winners (2018 to 2023) **From Keerthy Suresh winning for the Telugu biopic Mahanati in 2018 to Rani Mukerji winning for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway in 2023, the recent editions show a mix of regional language films and mainstream Hindi drama**. The most recent editions of the National Film Awards highlight a strong balance between commercial Hindi cinema and highly acclaimed South Indian releases. - **2018:** Keerthy Suresh (*Mahanati*, Telugu) — A brilliant biographical performance. - **2019:** Kangana Ranaut (*Manikarnika & Panga*, Hindi) — Two vastly different roles. - **2020:** Aparna Balamurali (*Soorarai Pottru*, Tamil) — A grounded, powerful performance opposite Suriya. - **2021:** Alia Bhatt (*Gangubai Kathiawadi*, Hindi) and Kriti Sanon (*Mimi*, Hindi) — Two massive commercial hits driven entirely by female leads. - **2022:** Nithya Menen (*Thiruchitrambalam*, Tamil) and Manasi Parekh (*Kutch Express*, Gujarati) — A victory for nuanced regional storytelling. - **2023:** Rani Mukerji (*Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway*, Hindi) — A veteran actress winning for an intense emotional drama. This recent list proves that female-led films are dominating both the box office and the critical landscape. Actresses are no longer winning just for supporting roles in male-driven films. They are winning for films where they carry the entire narrative weight. Check the [71st National Film Awards complete winners](/71st-national-film-awards/) to see how Rani Mukerji’s win fit into the larger ceremony context. --- ### Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Actress National Award #### What trophy does the Best Actress National Award winner receive? **The Best Actress National Award winner receives a Rajat Kamal.** The government presents the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) for individual acting categories, while it reserves the Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) for major film categories like Best Feature Film. #### Who was the first ever winner of the Best Actress National Award? **Nargis Dutt was the first ever winner of the Best Actress National Award.** She won the inaugural prize at the 15th National Film Awards in 1967 for her performance as a woman with dissociative identity disorder in the Hindi film *Raat Aur Din*. #### Has any actress won the Best Actress award in two consecutive years? **Yes, Shabana Azmi, Archana, and Kangana Ranaut have won the Best Actress award in consecutive years.** Shabana Azmi actually won three years in a row (1982-1984). Archana won in 1987 and 1988. Kangana Ranaut won in 2014 and 2015. #### Has Sridevi won a National Film Award? **Yes, Sridevi won the Best Actress National Award for the film Mom.** She received the award at the 65th National Film Awards honoring films from 2017. The jury awarded it to her posthumously following her sudden passing. #### Has Alia Bhatt won the Best Actress National Award? **Yes, Alia Bhatt has won the Best Actress National Award.** She won the prestigious Rajat Kamal at the 69th National Film Awards for her lead performance in the 2021 Hindi biographical crime drama *Gangubai Kathiawadi*. --- ##### Discover More National Film Awards Coverage - Read the (/national-film-awards-jury/) - Browse the (/best-tamil-film-national-award/) - Explore the (/best-telugu-film-national-award/) - Browse the (/dadasaheb-phalke-award/) - Anticipate the [72nd National Film Awards](/72nd-national-film-awards/)