The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Saturday, 18 July 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has extended warm congratulations to the team of Garhwali feature film 'Dholi' after it was honoured with the prestigious Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) Award and a cash prize of ₹2 lakh for Best Garhwali Film at the 72nd National Film Awards (Feature Film category).

Context

Chief Minister Dhami, in his congratulatory message, said that the national recognition accorded to 'Dholi' is 'an honour to Uttarakhand's rich folk language, folk culture and cultural heritage.' He described the achievement as inspirational for the state's film industry, artists and creators, adding that it would 'provide a new identity to Garhwali cinema.'

The CM specifically named producer SC Pharmachem Private Limited and director Dinesh P. Bhonsle in his felicitations, crediting the entire team for effectively carrying Uttarakhand's folk culture and traditions to audiences across the country and the world.

Policy Backdrop

The National Film Awards, administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, have recognised excellence in regional-language cinema since their inception in 1954, with the explicit goal of promoting India's linguistic and cultural diversity. The Rajat Kamal is among the most coveted honours in Indian cinema.

CM Dhami reiterated that the state government is 'continuously working to develop Uttarakhand as a film-production-friendly destination.' He pointed to a new film policy currently being implemented in the state, which he said is generating fresh opportunities for local artists, technicians and youth — though specific provisions of the policy have not been officially detailed in public records.

Stakeholders and Impact

The win is a landmark moment for Garhwali cinema, a regional film tradition rooted in the culture of the Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand. National-level recognition of this scale is rare for the language and is expected to raise its profile among audiences, producers and distributors beyond the state.

Garhwali filmmakers, local artists, and young aspirants in the creative economy stand to benefit most directly — both from the prestige the award confers and from any downstream policy support the state government channels toward regional production. Uttarakhand, like several other Indian states, has been aligning its cultural promotion with economic incentives for film production, including single-window clearances and infrastructure support.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the formal rollout of incentives and shooting-facilitation mechanisms under Uttarakhand's new film policy, details of which are yet to be publicly announced. The recognition of 'Dholi' at the 72nd National Film Awards is likely to encourage more Garhwali and Kumaoni language productions to seek national platforms, deepening the state's emerging identity as a hub for Himalayan regional cinema.