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Allu Arjun, Mohanlal, Rishab Shetty and more: South Indian actors who earned National Awards for iconic performances

etimes.in | Last updated on - May 26, 2026, 17:57 IST
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Allu Arjun, Mohanlal, Rishab Shetty and more: South Indian actors who earned National Awards for iconic performances

Across India, the audience became a huge fan of some South Indian films and their actor who have given blockbuster entertainers with their powerful performances nationwide. After their memorable outings, the actors were then honoured with the National Award, one of the biggest honours in Indian cinema. Let's take a look at the actor, including Mohanlal, Allu Arjun, Rishab Shetty and others who received them.

Picture Credit: Facebook

2/9

Allu Arjun

After the huge success of ‘Pushpa: The Rise’, Allu Arjun portrayed the rugged and intelligent Pushpa Raj, creating one of the most popular characters in recent years. His style, dialogue delivery, and screen presence made Pushparaj a fan favourite across the country. His performance won him the National Award for Best Actor, making him the first Telugu actor to receive the honour. Allu Arjun and Sukumar later made ‘Pushpa: The Rule,’ which went on to smash records, making more than Rs 1000 crore at the box office. He is now working on his next sci-fi film, ‘Raaka’ with ‘Jawa’ fame Atlee.

3/9

Mammootty

Malayalam cinema veteran Mammootty, over his illustrious career, has entertained the audience with his remarkable performances. The actor won the National Award for the early 80s and 90s films, ‘Mathilukal, ‘Oru ‘Vadakkan Veeragatha, ‘Vidheyan’ and ‘Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’. In his career, Mammootty has given emotional dramas to powerful, character-driven stories. He has shown incredible range as an actor. He was recently seen in the spy action drama film ‘Patriot’.

4/9

Mohanlal

Speaking of another Malayalam legend, he is loved for his natural acting and his screen presence. Particularly for his presence in films including ‘Bharatham’ and ‘Vanaprastham’ the actor went on to receive the National Awards. Talking about his last cinematic outing, the actor shared screen with Mammootty in the spy action thriller ‘Patriot.’

5/9

Kamal Haasan

Coming to a Kollywood veteran, Kamal Haasan is one of the finest actors Indian cinema has ever seen. Throughout his career, he has played many unforgettable roles and constantly challenged himself as a performer. His National Award-winning performances in ‘Moondram Pirai’, ‘Nayakan’, and Indian remain some of the most celebrated acts in Indian cinema. He was last seen in ‘Thug Life’ and is next working on multiple projects, two including with Rajinikanth.

6/9

Suirya

Tamil star Suirya got a standing ovation from audiences with his heartfelt performance in ‘Soorarai Pottru’. He brought determination, struggle, and hope to life on screen in a way that touched millions. His outstanding work in the film earned him the National Award for Best Actor. He made his comeback at the box office with his recent film ‘Karuppu’.

7/9

Dhanush

Dhanush is known for completely becoming the characters he plays. His performances in ‘Aadukalam’ and ‘Asuran’ showed his exceptional talent and dedication. Both roles earned him National Awards and strengthened his popularity among audiences across India. He was last seen in ‘Kara.’

8/9

Vikram

Vikram has always been known for his commitment to every role. He often goes through major physical and emotional transformations for his characters. His unforgettable performance in ‘Pithamagan’ earned him the National Award for Best Actor and remains one of the most admired performances in Indian cinema.

9/9

Rishab Shetty

Talking about Kannada cinema, Rishab Shetty became a sensation across India with ‘Kantara’. The film connected with audiences because of its strong emotions, culture, and storytelling. His powerful performance was loved by people everywhere and earned him the National Award for Best Actor.

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Copyright © Jun 6, 2026, 07.40PM IST Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service