National Film Awards to rotate across India's top tourist sites: Vaishnaw
Synopsis
After seven decades in Delhi, India's National Film Awards are going on the road. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw used the 72nd NFA ceremony at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar to launch a competitive nomination process — states and UTs must identify a top tourist site, pledge improvements, and vie to host future editions. The G20 decentralisation model has come to Bollywood's biggest night.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on 22 September 2026 that the National Film Awards will rotate to major tourist destinations across India.
The 72nd NFA , held at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat near the Statue of Unity , is the first edition held outside New Delhi .
States and Union Territories must nominate a top tourist site and commit to infrastructure improvements to be considered as future hosts.
Vaishnaw drew on India's G20 presidency in 2023 — which spread over 200 meetings across 60+ cities — as the model for decentralisation.
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 and honour films in feature, non-feature, and cinema writing categories.
The 72nd edition recognises films from 2024 ; no deadline for next-host nominations has been announced.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on 22 September 2026 announced that the National Film Awards (NFA) will no longer remain anchored to New Delhi, declaring at the 72nd NFA ceremony in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat that future editions will travel to prominent tourist destinations across India. States and Union Territories have been invited to nominate key attractions and commit to infrastructure improvements for a chance to host the ceremony.
The Announcement at Ekta Nagar
Speaking at the ceremony held near the Statue of Unity — the 182-metre monument dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — Vaishnaw framed the move as a conscious effort to marry India's premier film honour with its rich tourism geography. Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia, surrounds a cluster of attractions including the Valley of Flowers, Arogya Van, Cactus Garden, Butterfly Garden, Sardar Sarovar and Vishwa Van.
'This year's NFA... let us take the National Film Awards to very important tourist destinations of our country,' the minister said. He described the arrangement as a 'win-win' — giving film personalities an opportunity to explore different corners of India while generating organic visibility for the host destination.
The G20 Playbook Adapted for Culture
Vaishnaw cited India's presidency of the G20 in 2023 as the template for the decentralised approach. 'When the G20 was held, India took it across the country, to every corner, every state and every Union Territory, with more than 200 meetings held across over 60 cities,' he said. He added that the exercise had demonstrated how India's cultural diversity could be showcased to domestic and international visitors alike, and that the same logic now applied to the NFA.
How the Next Host Will Be Selected
The selection process, as outlined by Vaishnaw, will be competitive. States and Union Territories are required to identify their most significant tourist destination, detail the improvements they intend to make, execute those improvements, and then submit a nomination. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will evaluate the submissions before designating the next host venue. No deadline for nominations was announced.
Seven Decades of Delhi — and a Departure
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 and have, for over seven decades, recognised creative and technical excellence in India's feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema. Their long-established association with Delhi makes this rotational model a notable structural shift. The 72nd edition, honouring films from 2024, is the first to be held outside the capital. Vaishnaw noted that the choice of Ekta Nagar was also intended to connect the film industry with the heritage of India's freedom struggle and the story of national integration embodied by the Statue of Unity.
'The film world, all of you are so popular among the youngsters, among the entire country. When you visit that tourist destination, it will naturally promote the destination on its own,' Vaishnaw said. The minister's remarks signal that the NFA's geography is now a deliberate policy lever, not merely a logistical default.
Point of View
But it raises legitimate questions about consistency and prestige. The NFA's gravitas has been partly built on the institutional weight of Delhi; dispersing it to destinations that must 'earn' the right to host by undertaking improvements risks making the ceremony a prize in a state-level infrastructure competition rather than a pure celebration of cinema. The G20 comparison is instructive but imperfect — diplomatic summits benefit from regional spread in ways a film awards night may not. Whether the film industry, particularly those accustomed to Delhi's proximity, embraces the new model enthusiastically will be the real test. The deeper question is whether decentralisation serves the films being honoured or the tourism ministry's broader destination-marketing agenda.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new announcement about the National Film Awards?
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on 22 September 2026 that the National Film Awards will no longer be held exclusively in New Delhi but will rotate to major tourist destinations across India. States and Union Territories must nominate a key site and pledge improvements to be eligible to host future editions.
Where was the 72nd National Film Awards held?
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was held on 22 September 2026 at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, near the 182-metre Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It is the first edition of the ceremony to be hosted outside the national capital.
How will the next host venue for the National Film Awards be selected?
States and Union Territories are required to identify their most important tourist destination, specify the improvements they will undertake, carry out those improvements, and then submit a nomination to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for evaluation. No deadline for nominations has been announced.
Why did Vaishnaw reference the G20 in his speech?
Vaishnaw cited India's G20 presidency in 2023 — during which over 200 meetings were held across 60 cities — as the model for decentralising a major national event. He argued the G20 exercise showed how India's cultural diversity could be presented to the world, and that the same logic was now being applied to the National Film Awards.
How long have the National Film Awards been held?
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954, making them over seven decades old. They recognise excellence in feature films, non-feature films, and writing on cinema, and were traditionally associated with New Delhi before the 72nd edition marked the first ceremony outside the capital.
