Ektaa Kapoor has once again made headlines as her film ‘Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery‘ won the prestigious Best Feature Film award at the 71st National Film Awards held in 2025. This marks her first National Award, a milestone that has left the acclaimed producer both surprised and elated.

Ekta’s Reaction to the National Award Win

In her first interaction after the win, Ektaa expressed her astonishment, “Not in our wildest dreams did we think a dramedy which takes serious potshots at the establishment would actually – be not only nominated but would win from the jury – Best Film Award!”

She also shared a heartfelt moment with her mother upon hearing the news, “I saw it on the Internet. I got a call from (co-producer) Guneet (Monga). I didn’t take the call because I was in a meeting with my mother. She sent me a message. I opened my phone, and I was like ‘Mother, I think we have won the National Award for ‘Kathal’.”

Ektaa continued, “She said, check again, it’s not possible. How are you winning? Isn’t it a direct-to-digital film? It’s gone to Netflix. I said, ‘That’s also a film’. Chances are that we have. We went and checked, and we had won the National Award! After that, it was euphoria for an hour.”

Accolades and Honours

This National Award adds to Ekta Kapoor’s impressive list of achievements. She was previously honoured with the 2023 International Emmy Directorate Award at the 51st International Emmy Awards. In 2020, she also received the prestigious Padma Shri for her contributions to the arts.

Upcoming Projects and Collaborations

On the professional front, Ekta Kapoor is gearing up for an exciting slate of projects. She is partnering with TVF for the first time on VvAN, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia. Additionally, she is reuniting with Akshay Kumar and director Priyadarshan for the horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla. Ekta is also set to make her Malayalam film debut with a project starring the legendary Mohanlal.