Shah Rukh Khan is back on his hometurf!

The actor arrived at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, dressed in a dapper black Bandhgala, signature dark sunglasses and patent ponytail. Accompanying him was businessman and old friend Sanjay Passi. The first visuals from the felicitation hall show SRK seated along side his long time collaborator and friend, Rani Mukerji.

Now this frame in particular makes for a special one, as today will mark both SRK and Rani’s first National Film Award win, decades into their very illustrious careers. While SRK will be felicitated with the Best Actor award for Atlee’s 2023 film Jawan, Rani will be winning the Best Actress award for Ashima Chibber’s 2023 film Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. Speaking of illustrious careers, Vikrant Massey, also seated alongside them, also has a Best Actor win to his name, sharing the accolade with SRK, for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail. Interestingly, each of these three major categories have first time winners being felicitated.

Speaking of friends and family, while SRK has Sanjay by him, Rani, looking radiant in her dusty rose drape, has a gold necklace spelling out ‘Adira’, the name of her daughter with husband Aditya Chopra.

SRK and Rani’s professional history spans several big hits over the years. Be it Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Aziz Mirza’s Chalte Chalte (2003), Yash Chopra’s Veer Zara (2004), Amol Palekar’s Paheli (2005), Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), or the numerous fun cameos across other big banner projects, their on-screen pairing has never ceased to create magic — so them being felicitated with their very first national acting honours together, truly feels like a full circle moment, of course for them professionally, but also for their fans who have showered their love on the duo over the years.

The 71st National Film Awards are currently underway in New Delhi, and can be streamed on the official YouTube handle for PIB India.