The 71st National Film Awards saw noted celebrities across India including actors, producers, composers, singers and others gathering in one hall to celebrate cinema and its makers. Among those who were present were Mohanlal, Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Vikrant Massey, GV Prakash Kumar, Rani Mukerji, Shilpa Rao and many more. But what caught the attention of attendees was a young Treesha Thosar, the four-year-old who went on stage to collect the award for Best Child Artist from President Droupadi Murmu.
The young actor was conferred with the award for her acclaimed performance as Chimi in the 2023 Marathi film Naal 2. Dressed in an off-white saree, Treesha took to stage and bowed to the attendees before receiving the award, evoking thunderous applause from all celebrities, especially Shah Rukh Khan who cheered with enthusiasm for her. The heartwarming moment also marked a significant milestone for her as well as in National Film Awards' history as Treesha was the youngest to be awarded the honour. Treesha's video has been widely shared online, with many noting how "cute" the moment was, along with appreciation for her performance at such a young age.
Written and directed by Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, and produced by Nagraj Manjule, Naal 2 is the sequel to the 2018 film Naal which, interestingly, was also a National Award-winning film. Nagraj Manjule also plays a key role along with Shrinivas Pokale, Devika Daftardar, Deepti Devi and Jitendra Joshi. The film also won Best Children's Film at the event, along with several accolades at the Maharashtra State Film Awards.
"I still don’t fully understand what I have achieved, but I do know this much—that through this award, the name of my Maharashtra state and my entire family has been elevated. And as my mother said, in the past 70 years of National Awards, I am the youngest child artist ever to receive this honor," read the caption on Treesha's Instagram account, which is reportedly being handled by the child's mother.
Treesha shared the award with her Naal 2 co-stars Shrinivas Pokale and Bhargav Jagtap. Director Sukumar's 15-year-old daughter Sukriti Veni Bandreddi was also honoured with the National Award for Best Child Artist for the Telugu film Gandhi Tatha Chettu. Along with her, Kabir Khandare also won the award for the Marathi film Gypsy.
The 71st National Film Awards took place on Tuesday at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Films that were certified from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, were eligible for these awards.