These rare films won Filmfare awards for best actor in both male and female categories

In most cases, a film is either hero-centric or female-oriented. So, attention from critics and viewers are earned mostly by anyone of these two. But only in rare cases, both hero and heroine competes one another and both the roles receive almost equal attention. In many cases, a best film gets nomination at both best actor and best actress categories. But only a few are converted to awards. It can be noted that since 1990s and later many films featured in this list, which was not common in 1960s or 1970s or 1980s. Also Shah Rukh Khan owns highest number of films in this category, where his co-actress also received the same honour. Here I list those movies which bagged Filmfare awards for both best actor and best actress category.

Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman – The first lead pair to receive this honour in 1967 for Guide

No doubt, Guide is always listed among the top Bollywood movies all-time and among the career best roles of both Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman. Dev Anand played the role of a tourist guide Raju while Waheeda played a dancer Rosie. Both the roles were breath taking, and it’s not possible to say who standout, in terms of performances. Both the characters were powerful, and the lead pair portrayed it on screen without any flaws. Vijay Anand’s direction and S. D. Burman’s superb music added more colours to the movie. The director earned Filmfare award while S. D. earned a nomination. The film had a theatre release in 1965.

Shah Rukh – Kajol Jodi leads this list with a total of 3 wins

One of the best screen couple loved ever, whenever they came together they just rocked the screen, and except Dilwale, all their films were blockbusters. Read more about their movies together. SRK earned his first Filmfare award in this category for Baazigar, the first time for which he was paired with Kajol. They shared screen space for the second time in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge which gave Kajol her first Filmfare award in this category. Currently she leads this list with a total of 5 wins, sharing the record with her aunt Nutan. Quite interestingly, Shah Rukh played lead roles in 4 of those films – Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and My Name Is Khan. The rest one lead role was played by Aamir Khan for Fanaa. She was nominated for Dilwale, co-starring SRK, and her remaining one role opposite Khan in Baazigar was not featured in nomination list.

When it comes to Filmfare awards where the actors shared ‘Best actor award’ for the same film, three movies feature in this list – Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and My Name Is Khan (2011), the only onscreen pair to win Filmfare awards for a single movie more than once. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was the comeback movie of Kajol after marriage, for which she won Filmfare while SRK received a nomination only. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and My Name Is Khan were directed by Karan Johar, who played a brief role as Shah Rukh’s friend in DDLJ directed by Aditya Chopra.

Rishi Kapoor & Dimple Kapadia – The only screen Jodi to win this award for their debut film and the youngest winners too

This pair won the award in the same year for the same movie – Bobby (1973), and they received this honour the following year. Rishi was 21 years old then and Dimple was 16, when they were nominated for the honour. Their record as the youngest winners of this honour is still to be broken, that too in both these categories. Rishi’s record as the youngest nominee was broken by Darsheel Safary, when he was nominated for Tare Zameen Par at the age of mere 11. But Dimple’s record as the youngest nominee is still to be broken, even after 4 decades. Also read: These 5 Bollywood actors have won Filmfare Best Actor/Actress Award for their debut film.

In 2016, Rishi Kapoor admitted that he paid rupees 30K in 1974 to receive his award. Does he deserve to be featured in this list? Better you decide. An interesting fact to add, Bobby gave a big break to Dimple Kapadia. But she got married to the top Bollywood star then, Rajesh Khanna before the film’s release, and she returned to films only in 1984 with the film, Sagar pairing once again with Rishi Kapoor. The actors briefly dated during ‘Bobby’ times. Dimple shared the award with Jaya Bhaduri (for Abhimaan) – first time forever in Filmfare’s history.

Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patel – The only offbeat actors to be featured in this list

Both are acclaimed actors and have been associated with several offbeat and award winning films of the second half of 1970s and early 1980s. Chakra gave Naseeruddin Shah his second Filmfare award in best actor category, while it’s the single win ever for the iconic actress who has been nominated 6 times in total.

Kamal Hassan and Dimple Kapadia for Saagar in 1986

Dimple won two Filmfare awards during her lifetime, and both these times she shared this award with her co-star, first time for Bobby and second time for Kamal Hassan. Interestingly Rishi Kapoor completed the love triangle who won earlier with Dimple for her debut flick, Bobby. Dimple’s both these films are featured in this list. Saagar was released in 1985 and the duo received the award the following year

Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit for Beta in 1993

Beta was a milestone movie for both these actors, who used to be one of the most sought screen pairs of 1990s. Beta is widely regarded as one of the powerful roles of Madhuri Dixit, and earned her the nickname ‘Dhak Dhak girl’. The sizzling chemistry between the lead actors is still remembered though the movie was released long back in 1992.

Aamir Khan and Karishma Kapoor for Raja Hindustani in 1997

Aamir Khan and Karishma Kapoor earned their respectively Filmfare awards for the first time for the biggest blockbuster of 1996 – Raja Hindustani. It was a remake of Jab Jab Phool Khile of 1960s, which played an important role in establishing Shashi Kapoor as a lead actor.

Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit for Dil To Pagal Hai in 1998

The following year Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit did the same what Aamir Khan and Karishma Kapoor did the previous year. Yash Chopra’s musical earned numerous awards at Filmfare, and Karishma also received best supporting actress award.

Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai for Devdas in 2003

One of the biggest movies of 2002, Shah Rukh as Devdas and Aishwarya as Paro stole million hearts and bagged many awards at different award functions. It was for the second time Ash won Filmfare awards for a movie directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji for Black in 2005

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black was definitely the best film of the year, and the stellar performance by the lead pair as teacher and student took it to new heights. Interestingly Big B won Filmfare award for best actor as well as critics’ choice apart from winning National award for his role as teacher Debraj Sahai for Black – The only actor to receive three major awards for a single role. It was Rani Mukerji’s second Filmfare win after Hum Tum.

Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan for Paa in 2010

While Vidya Balan earned her first Filmfare award, Big B earned his fifth Filmfare awards for the same, and also National award for best actor. Paa is best known for the opposite onscreen roles played by Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan, which is perhaps the first time ever in world cinema.

As far as I know, 13 Bollywood films have been given Filmfare best actor/actress awards in the same year, apart from winning awards for other major categories like best film, direction, screenplay and music. Many films have earned nominations at Filmfare awards in Best film, direction, actor, actress and music, and that’s mainly because such films excelled in quality because of the combined effort or team work. Let us hope more films do repeat the same.

Also read a few more topics on Filmfare awards. Here is the page link. Click on the images to read.