72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar: Anant Nag gets Dadasaheb Phalke
Synopsis
For the first time in their history, the National Film Awards leave Delhi — and Gujarat's Ekta Nagar hosts President Droupadi Murmu as she confers the 72nd edition honours. Anant Nag's Dadasaheb Phalke, a shared Best Actor between Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan, and a landmark first for Santhali cinema make this one of the most diverse and symbolically loaded award nights in decades.
Key Takeaways
The 72nd National Film Awards are being held at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on 22 September 2026 — the first time outside New Delhi .
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the honours recognising Indian cinema for 2024 .
Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag receives the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 for a career of over five decades . 'Article 370' wins Best Feature Film ; Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan share Best Actor ; Yami Gautam wins Best Actress .
A Santhali film is being honoured in the Non-Feature Film section for the first time in the awards' history .
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced future editions will rotate across different Indian states and cities.
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, honouring the finest achievements in Indian cinema for the year 2024. The ceremony marks a historic shift — it is the first time the National Film Awards will be held outside New Delhi, as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting moves to rotate the event across different states and cities.
Anant Nag Receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag will be conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, the highest honour in Indian cinema, in recognition of a career spanning more than five decades. The government announced the honour earlier this month on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee. Instituted in 1954, the National Film Awards recognise excellence across feature films, non-feature films, and writing on cinema, covering India's vast linguistic, regional, and cinematic diversity.
Major Winners Across Categories
'Article 370' has been selected as the Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam takes the Best Actress in a Leading Role for the same film. The Best Actor in a Leading Role honour is shared between Mammootty for 'Bramayugam' and Kartik Aaryan for 'Chandu Champion'.
Randeep Hooda will receive the Best Debut Film of a Director award for 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar'. The Best Direction award goes to director Rajkumar Periasamy for 'Amaran', while 'Kalki 2898 AD' has won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. 'Captain Miller' has been recognised as the Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values.
In the non-feature section, 'Bhangaar' has won Best Non-Feature Film and 'Ram-Nami' has been named Best Documentary. Other films receiving honours include 'Pushpa: The Rule Part-02', 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', and 'Stree 2'. The awards span languages including Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu, and Garhwali.
Historic First for Santhali Cinema
Notably, a Santhali film will be honoured in the Non-Feature Film section for the first time in the history of the National Film Awards, according to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This underscores the awards' growing reach into India's tribal and regional cinema ecosystems — languages and communities that have historically been underrepresented at national platforms.
Why Ekta Nagar, and What the Shift Signals
The venue, Ekta Nagar — formerly known as Kevadia — is located in Gujarat and is home to the Statue of Unity. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has stated that future National Film Awards will be held in different states and cities, rather than being anchored to Delhi. Officials said the move is aimed at bringing the celebration of Indian cinema closer to diverse regions and spotlighting the country's cultural and linguistic plurality.
This is the 72nd edition of the awards, and filmmakers, actors, technicians, and other members of the film fraternity are expected to gather in Gujarat on Tuesday for the ceremony.
Point of View
But the real test is whether it reflects a genuine institutional commitment to regional cinema or remains a one-off venue change. The Santhali film recognition and the multilingual breadth of this year's winners suggest the awards are slowly becoming more representative — though critics have long argued the selection process itself needs greater transparency. Sharing the Best Actor trophy between a Malayalam icon like Mammootty and a mainstream Hindi star like Kartik Aaryan in the same year reflects the industry's shifting centre of gravity, where the south-north divide in Indian cinema is blurring at the top. Whether Ekta Nagar becomes a recurring destination or simply a political signal wrapped in a cultural event is the question the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will need to answer next year.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the 72nd National Film Awards being held?
The 72nd National Film Awards are being held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on 22 September 2026 — the first time the ceremony is taking place outside New Delhi. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the shift as part of a plan to rotate the event across different Indian states.
Who is receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024?
Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag has been selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, recognising his contribution to Indian cinema over a career spanning more than five decades. The government announced the honour on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee.
Which films won the top honours at the 72nd National Film Awards?
'Article 370' won Best Feature Film, with Yami Gautam taking Best Actress for the same film. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan share Best Actor for 'Bramayugam' and 'Chandu Champion' respectively, while 'Amaran' won Best Direction and 'Kalki 2898 AD' took Best Popular Film.
Why is the Santhali film recognition historically significant?
A Santhali film is being honoured in the Non-Feature Film section for the first time in the history of the National Film Awards, according to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It marks a landmark acknowledgement of tribal-language cinema at India's premier national film honour platform.
Who is presenting the 72nd National Film Awards?
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on 22 September 2026. Filmmakers, actors, technicians and members of the film fraternity are expected to attend the ceremony.
