The 72nd National Film Awards will be presented by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu on September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Gujarat, bringing together some of the country’s most celebrated filmmakers, actors, technicians and artists. The prestigious ceremony will honour outstanding contributions to Indian cinema for the year 2024.
The National Film Awards, instituted in 1954, remain among India’s most prestigious recognitions for excellence in filmmaking. Over more than seven decades, the awards have celebrated exceptional creative and technical achievements across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
National Film Awards Move Beyond New Delhi
This year’s ceremony marks an important shift in the government’s approach to the National Film Awards. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has decided to take the prestigious event beyond the National Capital and host it in different parts of the country.
Ekta Nagar in Gujarat will host the 72nd edition, giving the ceremony a wider national character. The move is intended to bring the celebration of Indian cinema closer to different regions and showcase the country’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity.
The ceremony at Ekta Nagar will also reflect the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, highlighting the unity and diversity represented by Indian cinema.
‘Article 370’ Wins Best Feature Film
The 72nd National Film Awards recognise achievements across a wide range of languages, genres and cinematic forms. ‘Article 370’ has been adjudged the Best Feature Film, marking one of the major honours of this year’s awards.
The Best Non-Feature Film honour will go to ‘Bhangaar’, while ‘Ram-Nami’ has been selected as the Best Documentary by the jury.
The acting categories will also see major names receiving national recognition. Mammootty has been announced as Best Actor in a Leading Role for ‘Bramayugam’, while Kartik Aaryan will receive the same honour for ‘Chandu Champion’.
Yami Gautam has been named Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in ‘Article 370’.
Randeep Hooda Honoured for Directorial Debut
Actor and filmmaker Randeep Hooda will receive the Best Debut Director award for ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar’.
The recognition adds another significant achievement to an awards list that celebrates talent not only in acting but also in direction, filmmaking, technical work and other aspects of cinema.
The National Film Awards continue to provide a national platform for artists working across different filmmaking traditions, helping highlight diverse cinematic voices from across India.
Regional Cinema Gets National Recognition
A major feature of the 72nd National Film Awards is the recognition of films from a broad spectrum of Indian languages and regions. The awards include achievements connected with Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu and Garhwali cinema, among others.
Several popular and critically recognised films, including ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, ‘Amaran’, ‘Pushpa: The Rule Part-02’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ and ‘Stree 2’, will also receive honours in various categories.
In a notable milestone, a Santhali film will be honoured for the first time in the Non-Feature Film section of the National Film Awards. The recognition underlines the growing visibility of regional languages and indigenous cinematic traditions on the national stage.
National Film Awards Celebrate India’s Cinematic Diversity
The awards demonstrate the breadth of Indian filmmaking, where multiple languages, cultural traditions, genres and storytelling styles coexist within one national cinematic landscape.
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By recognising achievements across mainstream and regional cinema, the National Film Awards continue to serve as an important platform for filmmakers and artists whose work contributes to the evolution of Indian cinema.
Awards for Writing and Scholarship on Cinema
The National Film Awards also acknowledge excellence in writing and scholarship related to cinema. In the Best Writing on Cinema category, Sanjeev Shrivastava has been announced as the Best Film Critic.
The Best Book on Cinema award will be presented to ‘Naaniruvude Nimagaagi Naadiruvude Nanagaagi: Kannada Cinemada Thathva matthu Rajakeeya’, translated as ‘I Stand for You, the State Stands for Us: Political and Philosophical Dimensions of Kannada Cinema’. The book has been written by Dr. Pradeep Kenchanuru and published by Mirror Pusthaka.
A Grand Celebration of Indian Cinema
With the President of India scheduled to present the awards at Ekta Nagar on September 22, the 72nd National Film Awards are set to become a significant celebration of Indian cinematic excellence.
The decision to host the ceremony outside New Delhi further strengthens its national character, while the diverse list of winners highlights the extraordinary range of India’s film industry.
From major feature films and acclaimed performances to regional cinema, documentaries, non-feature films and critical writing, the 72nd National Film Awards will showcase the creative strength and cultural richness of Indian cinema.
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