Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Tuesday, 22 September called on India's film industry to champion natural farming, environmental protection and healthier lifestyles — and to dial back depictions of violence in favour of themes rooted in unity, tolerance and brotherhood. He was speaking at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony held at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, marking the first time in decades that the prestigious event has been staged outside New Delhi.

Key Remarks at the Ceremony

Addressing filmmakers, actors, technicians and award recipients, Devvrat said cinema possesses a rare power to simplify complex subjects and deliver them to mass audiences. 'Cinema reaches people's hearts. Through your medium, you can simplify difficult subjects and take them to the people in an easy and accessible manner,' he said.

He congratulated the assembled film fraternity for its role in national cohesion: 'You are the people who have made a major contribution towards binding India together in the bond of unity. I congratulate all of you for this,' Devvrat said.

The Natural Farming Pitch

Devvrat, who has been a consistent advocate of natural farming in Gujarat, linked his agricultural message directly to a public health concern. 'Through films, you and we should work to inspire people towards natural farming. Whatever methods can be adopted to protect the environment should be used to inspire future generations,' he said.

This is consistent with his earlier public statements. In June 2026, the Governor warned that excessive use of chemical fertilisers is eroding soil fertility, cautioning that immediate corrective action is needed to protect future generations' access to safe food and water.

At Ekta Nagar, he tied the farming crisis to what he described as a deteriorating health landscape. 'Today, our young generation and all of us are progressing in every respect, but we are becoming very weak from the perspective of health,' he said, citing cancer, diabetes, heart attacks and pancreatic failure as conditions linked to environmental degradation.

Call to Reduce On-Screen Violence

Turning to cinema's social influence, Devvrat urged the industry to reflect India's classical ethical values — including ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya, aparigraha, shauch, santosh, tap and swadhyaya — arguing that films are uniquely placed to convey them to audiences across linguistic and regional divides.

'Through our films, I believe we can reduce the depiction of violence to some extent and promote unity, love, tolerance and brotherhood among people, so that we can help one another and every individual in the country moves forward with a sense of commitment to the nation,' he said.

Significance of Ekta Nagar as Venue

Devvrat described the choice of Ekta Nagar — home to the Statue of Unity — as symbolically significant, noting that hosting the National Film Awards here for the first time in decades underscores the ceremony's connection to themes of national unity. The 72nd awards recognised achievements in Indian cinema for 2024, honouring winners across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.

What Comes Next

Devvrat welcomed the film fraternity to Gujarat and expressed hope that the industry's cross-linguistic reach would be harnessed to carry forward messages of environmental responsibility and social cohesion to future generations. Whether filmmakers translate the Governor's appeal into concrete creative choices remains to be seen, but the address adds institutional weight to the ongoing national conversation around responsible content and sustainable agriculture.