Amaran wins 3 National Awards: Sivakarthikeyan celebrates 72nd honour
Synopsis
'Amaran' swept three National Awards — Best Director for Rajkumar Periasamy, Best Background Score for G V Prakash Kumar, and Best Editing for Kalaivannan — at the 72nd ceremony. Sivakarthikeyan's X post celebrating the wins captures a landmark moment for Tamil cinema, with Dhanush also claiming two honours for 'Raayan' and 'Captain Miller' on the same night.
Key Takeaways
'Amaran' won three awards at the 72nd National Film Awards : Best Director, Best Background Score, and Best Editing.
Rajkumar Periasamy claimed Best Director , G V Prakash Kumar won Best Background Score , and Kalaivannan received Best Editing .
Actor Sivakarthikeyan celebrated on X on 18 July , calling it 'a proud day for the entire Amaran family.' Dhanush won two awards — Best Tamil Feature Film for 'Raayan' and a Special Mention for 'Captain Miller' .
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared Best Actor ; Yami Gautham won Best Actress for 'Article 370' . 'Article 370' was also named Best Feature Film of the year.
Actor Sivakarthikeyan on Saturday, 18 July hailed the 72nd National Film Awards as 'a proud day for the entire Amaran family,' after his film 'Amaran' swept three honours — including Best Director, Best Background Score, and Best Editing — announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.
Amaran's Triple Win at the 72nd National Awards
Based on the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan — a decorated officer who was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry honour, for his supreme sacrifice while fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir — 'Amaran' emerged as one of the biggest winners of the evening. Director Rajkumar Periasamy claimed the Best Director award, while composer G V Prakash Kumar won Best Music Direction (Background Score) and editor Kalaivannan received the Best Editing honour.
What Sivakarthikeyan Said on X
Taking to X shortly after the announcement, Sivakarthikeyan wrote: 'A proud day for our entire #Amaran family. My heartfelt congratulations to my dear director @Rajkumar_KP on winning Best Director, @gvprakash on being honoured for Best Music Direction (Background Score) & @kalaivananoffl on receiving the honour for Best Editing at the 72nd National Film Awards (2024).' He also extended congratulations to a wider set of winners, tagging Dhanush, Sun Pictures, and several other filmmakers and technicians in the same post.
Dhanush Claims Two Awards for Raayan and Captain Miller
Actor-director Dhanush had a landmark evening, claiming two separate honours. His directorial debut 'Raayan' was named the Best Tamil Feature Film, while 'Captain Miller' earned him a Special Mention. 'Captain Miller' was also recognised as the Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values.
Other Major Winners at the 72nd National Film Awards
The acting honours saw a split verdict. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan were jointly named Best Actor — Mammootty for his performance in director Rahul Sadasivan's Malayalam horror thriller 'Bramayugam', and Kartik Aaryan for his role in the Hindi sports drama 'Chandu Champion'. Yami Gautham claimed Best Actress for her work in Aditya Suhas Jambhale's 'Article 370', which also won Best Feature Film. Music director Shashwat Sachdev received the Best Music (Songs) award for the same film.
What This Means for Tamil Cinema
The haul for Tamil productions — three awards for 'Amaran' and two for Dhanush's films — underscores the growing national recognition of Tamil-language storytelling. Notably, 'Amaran''s subject matter, rooted in military sacrifice and patriotism, resonated beyond regional audiences. The awards ceremony marks the first major national validation for Rajkumar Periasamy since his acclaimed debut, and cements G V Prakash Kumar's reputation as one of Indian cinema's most versatile composers. With the awards now announced, attention will turn to theatrical and streaming performances of the winning titles.
Point of View
But the real story is structural: Tamil cinema is no longer a regional contender at the Nationals — it is a consistent frontrunner. What is often missed in the celebrations is that 'Amaran' succeeded not just as a war film but as a mainstream commercial production that crossed the language barrier on streaming before it won on the awards circuit. The challenge now is whether this recognition translates into broader Hindi-belt theatrical appetite for Tamil originals, or whether it remains a streaming-and-awards phenomenon. Rajkumar Periasamy's Best Director win also raises the question of whether the industry will back him with the kind of budget and creative freedom his talent warrants — or whether one award cycle will be followed by commercial caution.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many National Awards did 'Amaran' win at the 72nd ceremony?
'Amaran' won three National Awards: Best Director for Rajkumar Periasamy, Best Music Direction (Background Score) for G V Prakash Kumar, and Best Editing for Kalaivannan at the 72nd National Film Awards announced on 18 July.
What did Sivakarthikeyan say about Amaran's National Award wins?
Sivakarthikeyan posted on X calling it 'a proud day for our entire #Amaran family,' and extended heartfelt congratulations to director Rajkumar Periasamy, composer G V Prakash Kumar, and editor Kalaivannan. He also congratulated Dhanush and other winners in the same post.
What is the film 'Amaran' about?
'Amaran' is based on the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, who was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra — India's highest peacetime gallantry honour — for his supreme sacrifice while fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir.
What awards did Dhanush win at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Dhanush won two honours: 'Raayan', which he directed, was named Best Tamil Feature Film, and 'Captain Miller' earned him a Special Mention. 'Captain Miller' was also recognised as Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values.
Who won Best Actor and Best Actress at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan were jointly named Best Actor — for 'Bramayugam' and 'Chandu Champion' respectively — while Yami Gautham won Best Actress for 'Article 370', which also claimed the Best Feature Film award.
