72nd National Film Awards: Kartik Aaryan, Mammootty win Best Actor; Yami Gautam Best Actress
Synopsis
The 72nd National Film Awards handed out one of Bollywood's most talked-about shared wins in years — Kartik Aaryan alongside Malayalam legend Mammootty for Best Actor. Yami Gautam's Best Actress win for 'Article 370' and Sukumar's Best Screenplay for 'Pushpa 2' underline a year where regional and Hindi cinema competed on equal footing at India's most prestigious film honour.
Key Takeaways
Kartik Aaryan ('Chandu Champion') and Mammootty ('Bramayugam') jointly won Best Actor at the 72nd National Film Awards .
Yami Gautam was named Best Actress for her role in 'Article 370' . 'Kalki 2898 AD' won Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Production Design .
Sukumar received Best Screenplay for 'Pushpa 2' ; Shashwat Sachdev won Best Music Direction for 'Article 370' . 'Stree 2' won Best Choreography ; 'Srikanth' starring Rajkummar Rao was named Best Hindi Film .
The ceremony venue and date are yet to be announced; Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi is the traditional host.
Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty have jointly won the Best Actor honour at the 72nd National Film Awards, announced on Saturday, 18 July at the National Media Centre. Yami Gautam was named Best Actress, while the awards — recognising excellence in Indian cinema for 2024 — were declared by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Best Actor and Best Actress Winners
Mammootty was recognised for his performance in the Malayalam psychological horror film 'Bramayugam', cementing his stature as one of Indian cinema's most enduring performers. Kartik Aaryan earned his first National Award for his portrayal in the sports biopic 'Chandu Champion'. Yami Gautam claimed Best Actress for her work in the political thriller 'Article 370', a film that also brought home the Best Music Direction award for composer Shashwat Sachdev.
Other Key Awards
The science-fiction epic 'Kalki 2898 AD' took home two honours — Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Production Design. The horror-comedy blockbuster 'Stree 2' was feted with Best Choreography. Director Sukumar received the National Award for Best Screenplay for 'Pushpa 2', one of the biggest commercial releases of 2024. 'Srikanth — Aa Raha Hai Sabki Aankhein Kholne', starring Rajkummar Rao, was named Best Hindi Film.
Jury and Process
The awards were evaluated by an 11-member Central Jury chaired by acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Jayaraj, who oversaw the final selection after reviewing entries from across the country. The event is organised by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) and follows a structured jury process designed to celebrate artistic and technical achievement free from public voting or commercial bias.
Ceremony Details
The date for the formal presentation ceremony has not yet been announced. Traditionally, the President of India confers the National Film Awards at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi — the venue for the 70th and 71st editions as well. An official date is expected to be declared in the coming weeks.
Point of View
But the deeper story is the continued blurring of the Bollywood-regional divide at India's top film honour. Mammootty's win for 'Bramayugam' — a Malayalam art-house horror — sitting alongside Kartik Aaryan's mainstream sports biopic signals a jury willing to hold both ends of the spectrum. Sukumar winning Best Screenplay for 'Pushpa 2' while 'Stree 2' takes Best Choreography suggests the jury is no longer allergic to commercial blockbusters, a notable shift from the awards' historically arthouse-leaning reputation. Whether this reflects a genuine broadening of the jury's criteria or a one-off accommodation of box-office dominance is the question the film industry will be debating.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Best Actor at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty jointly won the Best Actor award at the 72nd National Film Awards. Kartik was honoured for 'Chandu Champion' and Mammootty for 'Bramayugam'.
Who won Best Actress at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Yami Gautam won the Best Actress award for her performance in 'Article 370'. The film also won Best Music Direction for composer Shashwat Sachdev.
When were the 72nd National Film Awards announced?
The 72nd National Film Awards were announced on Saturday, 18 July, at the National Media Centre by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The formal ceremony date has not yet been declared.
Which films won the most awards at the 72nd National Film Awards?
'Kalki 2898 AD' won two awards — Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Production Design. 'Article 370' also claimed two honours — Best Actress and Best Music Direction.
Where is the National Film Awards ceremony held?
The ceremony is traditionally held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, where the President of India confers the awards. The venue hosted the 70th and 71st editions as well, though the date for the 72nd ceremony is yet to be announced.
