During the 70th Filmfare Awards on Saturday, Laapataa Ladies made history by winning 13 awards, the highest ever for a film, although it did not secure any acting accolades for Kiran Rao's direction. In the acting categories, Alia Bhatt, Abhishek Bachchan, and Kartik Aaryan were the major winners. Alia's victory for Jigra was particularly noteworthy as it was her sixth Best Actress Filmfare Award, setting a new record.
The actor surpassed Kajol and Nutan's record, as both had secured five Best Actress awards during their distinguished careers. Although this achievement is celebrated, there is ongoing debate on social media about whether it truly reflects her talent.She has previously secured victories for Udta Punjab, Raazi, Gully Boy, Gangubai Kathiawadi, and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. This marks her third consecutive win.
Meena Kumari held the record for the most Best Actress awards for a long time after achieving her fourth win in the category for Kaajal in 1966. Nutan surpassed this record with her fifth win for Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki in 1979. Subsequently, Kajol matched her with a fifth win for My Name Is Khan in 2011.Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit have both received four Best Actress awards, while Vyjayanthimala, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi have each secured three.
There is a division of opinions online
The internet, on the other hand, believes that some of Alia's awards were not truly earned, and that her predecessors delivered superior performances that went unrecognized. On Reddit, a user expressed frustration, saying, 'They faced significant criticism for awarding her consecutively, and I assumed this year they wouldn't, given the movie wasn't that impressive, and a newcomer might win, but that wasn't the case.
In a comparison of Alia's career with other actresses who have fewer accolades, a fan remarked, “I may not be well-versed in Bollywood, but I can still recognize iconic names like Waheeda Rahman, Nutan, and Sridevi, which my parents often mentioned or we heard about in popular culture. For instance, if a TV show features a female character passionate about acting, she would be likened to Sridevi or Madhuri Dixit. Alia wouldn't come to mind even after several attempts.” Another fan added, “Alia Bhatt being considered better than Waheeda, Vaijayanti, Meena, Vidya... kya baat hai"..!
Alia Bhatt's win for Jigra
Jigra, the movie that earned Alia an award this year, it was directed by Vasan Bala and featured Vedang Raina in a leading role. Alia's portrayal of a sister trying to execute a bold prison escape to save her brother from death row was praised, yet the film underperformed financially. With a production cost of ₹80 crore, Jigra grossed only ₹55 crore globally, despite receiving mostly favorable reviews.
The actor's upcoming appearances include the YRF Spy Universe movie, Jigra, and subsequently, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love & War.