Amaran wins 3 National Awards: Kamal Haasan hails Rajkumar Periasamy's directorial vision
Synopsis
Amaran, the biographical Tamil film on martyred soldier Major Mukund Varadarajan, swept three categories at the 72nd National Film Awards — Best Director, Best Background Score, and Best Editing. Producer Kamal Haasan's public tribute on X named every winner and called the film's lead performances timeless — a rare full-team salute from one of Indian cinema's most exacting voices.
Key Takeaways
Amaran won three awards at the 72nd National Film Awards : Best Director, Best Background Score, and Best Editing.
Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Director for Amaran , a biographical Tamil film on Major Mukund Varadarajan .
G V Prakash Kumar won Best Background Score and Kalaivanan won Best Editing for the same film.
Producer Kamal Haasan congratulated the team on X on 19 July , praising the clarity of directorial vision and the performances of Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi .
Major Mukund Varadarajan , on whose life the film is based, was awarded the Ashok Chakra for his sacrifice fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir .
Raaj Kamal Films International has been producing films for 46 years , and Haasan called these honours a reaffirmation of RKFI's commitment to authentic storytelling.
Actor and producer Kamal Haasan, whose banner Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI) produced the Tamil film Amaran, on 19 July publicly congratulated director Rajkumar Periasamy, music director G V Prakash Kumar, and editor Kalaivanan after the film claimed three awards at the 72nd National Film Awards, including the prestigious Best Director honour. The awards were announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.
Kamal Haasan's Tribute to the Winning Team
Taking to his X account, Haasan offered warm praise for the film's creative architects. 'Heartfelt congratulations to Rajkumar Periasamy on winning the National Award for Best Director, a deeply deserved honour for your clarity of directorial vision and storytelling. Kudos to G V Prakash for Best Background Music and Kalaivanan for Best Editing. Your work elevated Amaran at every step,' he wrote.
Haasan also singled out the film's lead cast for special mention, describing their contributions as transcending the awards themselves. 'To Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, some performances transcend awards. Thank you for bringing such truth, grace and conviction to Amaran. Your portrayal of Major Mukund Varadarajan and Indhu will endure forever in Indian cinema history,' he wrote.
The Story Behind Amaran
Amaran is a biographical Tamil film 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. The film, led by Sivakarthikeyan in the role of the Major and Sai Pallavi as his wife Indhu, drew widespread critical and audience acclaim upon release.
Notably, the film's sweep at the National Awards underscores a broader trend of patriotic biographical dramas earning top recognition from India's highest film honours jury.
Full List of Amaran's National Award Wins
The film secured three National Awards in total at the 72nd National Film Awards: Best Director for Rajkumar Periasamy, Best Background Score for G V Prakash Kumar, and Best Editing for Kalaivanan. The recognition spans direction, music, and post-production — a rare clean sweep across technical and creative categories.
RKFI's Legacy and What Haasan Said About It
Haasan concluded his post with a reflection on his production house's four-decade legacy. 'For 46 years, RKFI has championed cinema that entertains, enlightens and endures. These national honours reaffirm our commitment to authentic Indian storytelling that spreads joy and instils pride,' he wrote. RKFI has been a cornerstone of Tamil cinema since its founding, and this recognition marks one of its most decorated moments at the National Awards.
With the 72nd National Film Awards now announced, attention will turn to the formal awards ceremony, where the film's team is expected to receive their honours in person.
Point of View
And Amaran fits that template precisely. What stands out here is the sweep across direction, music, and editing: the jury did not just reward the story, it rewarded the craft. Kamal Haasan's public tribute, notably name-checking every winner individually rather than offering a generic congratulation, reflects a producer who understands that awards campaigns are also brand moments. Whether Amaran's recognition translates into a wider conversation about how Indian cinema memorialises its soldiers — rather than just celebrating them — remains the more important question mainstream coverage has not yet asked.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards did Amaran win at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Amaran won three National Awards: Best Director for Rajkumar Periasamy, Best Background Score for G V Prakash Kumar, and Best Editing for Kalaivanan. The awards were announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.
Who is Major Mukund Varadarajan, the subject of Amaran?
Major Mukund Varadarajan was an Indian Army 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 is a biographical Tamil film based on his life and service.
What did Kamal Haasan say about the Amaran National Award wins?
Kamal Haasan, whose production banner Raaj Kamal Films International produced Amaran, congratulated director Rajkumar Periasamy, G V Prakash Kumar, and Kalaivanan on X. He called the Best Director win 'a deeply deserved honour' and praised Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi for performances that 'transcend awards.'
Who played the lead roles in Amaran?
Sivakarthikeyan played Major Mukund Varadarajan and Sai Pallavi played his wife Indhu in Amaran. Both were praised by producer Kamal Haasan for bringing 'truth, grace and conviction' to their roles.
When were the 72nd National Film Awards announced?
The 72nd National Film Awards were announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the National Media Centre in New Delhi. Kamal Haasan's congratulatory post on X was published on 19 July.
