Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon, who jointly won the National Award for best actress on Thursday, congratulated each other on the big win soon after the announcement.

“Congratulations Aliaaaa! So so well deserved! I've always admired your work and I'm too excited that I got to share this huge moment with you! Yayyyiiee! Biggg hug! Let’s celebrate!” Kriti, who won the award for her 2021 film Mimi, wrote on Instagram.

Her caption read, “Eyes are moist, Heart is full! The National Award : Best Actress for Mimi #Blessed #Grateful .”

The 33-year-old also thanked director Laxman Utekar. “Laxman sir.. You always told me ‘Mimi, dekhna aapko is film ke liye National Award milega’ Mil gaya sir! And I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Alia, who bagged the National Award for the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), also took to Instagram to share her heartfelt thanks to her director, crew, family and audience. She posed like her character Gangubai in a white shirt with hands lifted above in a praying position to celebrate her win.

To congratulate her co-winner Kriti, she wrote, “P.S - Kriti .. I remember messaging you the day I saw Mimi .. it was such an honest and powerful performance.. I cried and cried.. so so well deserved.. shine on you star… the world is your oyster @kritisanon .”