The National Film Awards moved beyond Delhi for the first time in decades, with Anant Nag honoured and major wins for Kartik Aaryan, Mammootty and Yami Gautam.
The 72nd National Film Awards were presented at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, breaking with the long-standing practice of holding the ceremony in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards at an event held near the Statue of Unity, recognising actors, directors, technicians and filmmakers for their work in Indian cinema.
The move to Gujarat is part of a new approach to the National Film Awards. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that future ceremonies will be held in different states. The idea is to take the national film awards beyond Delhi and reflect the cultural and regional diversity of Indian cinema.
Anant Nag Receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Veteran actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour given for contribution to Indian cinema. The award recognised his career of more than five decades across Hindi, Kannada and other Indian-language films.
Nag has worked in a wide range of roles during his long career, becoming one of the recognised faces of Indian parallel and mainstream cinema. He accepted the award from President Murmu before an audience that included leading names from the film industry.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented annually to a person for an outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty Share Best Actor Award
The Best Actor award was shared by Kartik Aaryan and Malayalam actor Mammootty.
Aaryan won the honour for his portrayal of Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar in Chandu Champion. The role required him to play a character who moves from a career in the armed forces to sport after facing major physical challenges.
For Aaryan, the award marked his first National Film Award.
Mammootty received the same honour for his performance in the Malayalam film Bramayugam. Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, the period film combines folklore, horror and elements of Malayalam cultural history.
The joint award brought together two performers from different generations and film industries.
Yami Gautam Wins Best Actress
Yami Gautam Dhar won the Best Actress award for her performance in Article 370. The film was also named Best Feature Film.
The film is based on events surrounding the Union government's decision in August 2019 to end Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status under Article 370. Gautam played the lead role in the political action drama.
The National Film Award added another major recognition to her career.
Randeep Hooda was named Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a biographical film in which he also played the lead role.
Regional Cinema and New Voices
The awards also highlighted films and artists working in different Indian languages and regions.
Sanjay Mishra won Best Supporting Actor for Bhakshak. The film deals with the investigation of sexual abuse at a shelter home for girls and was released on a streaming platform.
Tamil film Captain Miller received recognition for promoting national, social and environmental values. Its lead actor Dhanush received a Special Mention for his performance.
Another notable achievement came from the Non-Feature Films section. Angen, directed by Ravi Raj Murmu, became the first Santali-language film to win a National Film Award. The recognition underlined the place of tribal languages and regional storytelling within the country's wider film tradition.
Music and technical crafts also received attention. Singer Abhay Jodhpurkar won the Best Playback Singer award, while costume designer Sheetal Sharma was recognised for her work on Pushpa 2: The Rule.
A New Direction for the National Film Awards
The 72nd National Film Awards combined established names with first-time winners and recognised work from mainstream, regional and independent cinema.
The decision to move the ceremony from Delhi also changes how the awards are presented as a national cultural event. Holding the ceremony in Ekta Nagar places the celebration in a different part of the country and gives greater visibility to the cultural landscape outside the national capital.
For Indian cinema, the awards continue to bring together films made in different languages, regions and formats. The new venue policy could make that diversity more visible as future editions move to other states.
The 72nd National Film Awards were presented at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, breaking with the long-standing practice of holding the ceremony in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards at an event held near the Statue of Unity, recognising actors, directors, technicians and filmmakers for their work in Indian cinema.
The move to Gujarat is part of a new approach to the National Film Awards. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that future ceremonies will be held in different states. The idea is to take the national film awards beyond Delhi and reflect the cultural and regional diversity of Indian cinema.
Anant Nag Receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Veteran actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour given for contribution to Indian cinema. The award recognised his career of more than five decades across Hindi, Kannada and other Indian-language films.
Nag has worked in a wide range of roles during his long career, becoming one of the recognised faces of Indian parallel and mainstream cinema. He accepted the award from President Murmu before an audience that included leading names from the film industry.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented annually to a person for an outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty Share Best Actor Award
The Best Actor award was shared by Kartik Aaryan and Malayalam actor Mammootty.
Aaryan won the honour for his portrayal of Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar in Chandu Champion. The role required him to play a character who moves from a career in the armed forces to sport after facing major physical challenges.
For Aaryan, the award marked his first National Film Award.
Mammootty received the same honour for his performance in the Malayalam film Bramayugam. Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, the period film combines folklore, horror and elements of Malayalam cultural history.
The joint award brought together two performers from different generations and film industries.
Yami Gautam Wins Best Actress
Yami Gautam Dhar won the Best Actress award for her performance in Article 370. The film was also named Best Feature Film.
The film is based on events surrounding the Union government's decision in August 2019 to end Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status under Article 370. Gautam played the lead role in the political action drama.
The National Film Award added another major recognition to her career.
Randeep Hooda was named Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a biographical film in which he also played the lead role.
Regional Cinema and New Voices
The awards also highlighted films and artists working in different Indian languages and regions.
Sanjay Mishra won Best Supporting Actor for Bhakshak. The film deals with the investigation of sexual abuse at a shelter home for girls and was released on a streaming platform.
Tamil film Captain Miller received recognition for promoting national, social and environmental values. Its lead actor Dhanush received a Special Mention for his performance.
Another notable achievement came from the Non-Feature Films section. Angen, directed by Ravi Raj Murmu, became the first Santali-language film to win a National Film Award. The recognition underlined the place of tribal languages and regional storytelling within the country's wider film tradition.
Music and technical crafts also received attention. Singer Abhay Jodhpurkar won the Best Playback Singer award, while costume designer Sheetal Sharma was recognised for her work on Pushpa 2: The Rule.
A New Direction for the National Film Awards
The 72nd National Film Awards combined established names with first-time winners and recognised work from mainstream, regional and independent cinema.
The decision to move the ceremony from Delhi also changes how the awards are presented as a national cultural event. Holding the ceremony in Ekta Nagar places the celebration in a different part of the country and gives greater visibility to the cultural landscape outside the national capital.
For Indian cinema, the awards continue to bring together films made in different languages, regions and formats. The new venue policy could make that diversity more visible as future editions move to other states.
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