President Droupadi Murmu to Present 72nd National Film Awards in Gujarat Today
President Droupadi Murmu will present the 72nd National Film Awards in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, today, September 22, marking a historic first outside New Delhi. Anant Nag wins the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Article 370 takes Best Feature Film, Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan share Best Actor, and a Santhali film wins non-feature honours.
President Droupadi Murmu will present the 72nd National Film Awards in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, today, September 22, marking the first time the prestigious ceremony takes place outside New Delhi.
Dadasaheb Phalke and Major Feature Honours
Veteran Kannada cinema actor Anant Nag receives the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, honouring a career spanning more than five decades. Major feature and regional selections for the 2024 film year include:
- Best Feature Film: Article 370
- Best Non-Feature Film: Bhangaar
- Best Documentary: Ram-Nami
- Best Actor (Shared): Mammootty (Bramayugam) and Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion)
- Best Actress: Yami Gautam (Article 370)
- Best Direction: Rajkumar Periasamy (Amaran)
- Best Debut Film of a Director: Randeep Hooda (Swatantrya Veer Savarkar)
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD
- Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values: Captain Miller
Additional recognition covers commercial titles such as Pushpa: The Rule Part-02, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, and Stree 2, spanning Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu, and Garhwali languages. 72nd National Film Awards: 'Bhangaar' Wins Best Non-Feature Film; Check Full List of Winners.
Historic Regional Milestone
The 72nd edition marks a historic first for the Non-Feature Film category with the inclusion of a Santhali-language honoree, highlighted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Decentralised Ceremony Venue
Held at Ekta Nagar (formerly Kevadia) near the Statue of Unity, the ceremony initiates the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's policy to rotate future National Film Awards across different Indian states and cities. Designed to reflect linguistic and regional diversity, the Gujarat gathering brings actors, directors, technicians, and government officials outside traditional capital-centric hosting venues.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2026 07:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).