When indianexpress.com spoke to Nithya Menen right after she was announced as the winner of the National Film Award for Best Actress, she said, “I’m glad it was Thiruchitrambalam that got me the award.” On Tuesday, Nithya received this huge honour from the hands of President Droupadi Murmu at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony. Nithya won the award for playing the affable Shobana in Mithran Jawahar’s family drama Thiruchitrambalam, which also starred Dhanush in the lead role. 

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Talking to ANI after the awards ceremony, Nithya was effusive in her praise for Team Thiruchitrambalam, and said that it was a very important moment in her life as an artiste. “I dedicate the award to my co-stars and the entire team of Thiruchitrambalam,” she said. 

Earlier, during the red carpet event of the 70th National Film Awards, Nithya Menen revealed that the recognition at the national level acted as a validation for all her choices in her eclectic career. “I never thought of awards when I did any film. This award was definitely a surprise for me,” said the actor, who succinctly described the impact of the National Film Award on her career. “It made me calmer. I have always taken difficult paths in my career. It always felt like I was swimming upstream. So, this award means a lot more because it calmed me down, and validated my choices.”

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This recognition was Nithya’s maiden National Film Award for Best Actress. She was the joint winner of the award along with actor Manasi Parekh, who won it for her performance as Monghi in the Gujarati film Kutch Express.