President Murmu arrives in Ekta Nagar for 72nd National Film Awards
Synopsis
For the first time since 1954, India's National Film Awards leave New Delhi — President Droupadi Murmu arrives in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat to preside over the 72nd edition on 22 September. Veteran actor Anant Nag receives the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, while 'Article 370', Mammootty, Kartik Aaryan and Yami Gautam headline the 2024 winners.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on 21 September ahead of the 72nd National Film Awards on 22 September 2026 .
The ceremony is being held outside New Delhi for the first time, as per a Ministry of Information and Broadcasting decision to rotate the venue across states.
Anant Nag will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 for a career spanning more than five decades . 'Article 370' won Best Feature Film ; Yami Gautam won Best Actress for the same film.
Mammootty ('Bramayugam') and Kartik Aaryan ('Chandu Champion') shared the Best Actor award.
President Murmu's Gujarat visit continues to Vadodara on 23 September for the 75th convocation of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda .
President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat's Narmada district, on Monday, 21 September 2026, ahead of the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, 22 September. The President will serve as chief guest at the event, where she will personally present awards to filmmakers, actors, technicians and other artistes recognised for their contributions to Indian cinema in 2024.
A Historic Venue Shift
This edition marks a significant departure from tradition. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting took a deliberate decision to move the ceremony out of New Delhi and host future editions in different states and cities across the country. Ekta Nagar — best known as the site of the Statue of Unity — becomes the first city outside the capital to host the prestigious awards since they were instituted in 1954. The move is widely seen as an effort to bring national cultural recognition closer to regional audiences and decentralise a historically Delhi-centric event.
Key Winners at the 72nd National Film Awards
The winners for the 2024 edition were announced on 18 July. 'Article 370' was named Best Feature Film, with Yami Gautam winning Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film. The Best Actor in a Leading Role award was shared by Mammootty for 'Bramayugam' and Kartik Aaryan for 'Chandu Champion'.
Veteran actor Anant Nag will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 — Indian cinema's highest individual honour — in recognition of his contribution to the art form and a career spanning more than five decades. Rajkumar Periasamy was named Best Director for 'Amaran', while 'Kalki 2898 AD' won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. In the non-feature category, 'Bhangaar' took Best Non-Feature Film and 'Ram-Nami' was named Best Documentary.
President's Reception and Official Programme
On arrival, President Murmu was received by a high-level delegation including Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Protocol Minister Praful Pansheriya, Bharuch MP Mansukh Vasava, Nandod MLA Darshna Deshmukh, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited Managing Director Mukesh Puri, District Collector Ganga Singh, and District Superintendent of Police Vishakha Dabral, along with other senior officials.
Preparations for the ceremony were in full swing at Ekta Nagar on Monday, with members of the film fraternity expected to attend. The event brings together talent from across India's diverse film industries — Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and beyond.
Full Gujarat Itinerary
President Murmu's Gujarat visit runs from 21 to 23 September. Following the National Film Awards, she is scheduled to travel to Vadodara on 23 September to attend the 75th annual convocation of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She will also launch the Brahma Kumaris' 'Spiritual Awakening for World Renewal' campaign and inaugurate the 'Global Spiritual Palace' Retreat Centre in Vadodara. Additionally, she is scheduled to virtually launch the Brahma Kumaris Nadiad campaign, 'Youth for Viksit Bharat: Awakening Inner Strength for Nation Building'.
The ceremony on Tuesday will be among the most geographically and culturally significant editions of the National Film Awards in the event's seven-decade history.
Point of View
Not just infrastructure spending. Yet the choice of Ekta Nagar, a site with pointed political symbolism built around the Statue of Unity, invites scrutiny about whether the rotation policy reflects genuine cultural outreach or a choreographed backdrop. The stronger story is Anant Nag's Dadasaheb Phalke recognition — a Kannada cinema stalwart whose work has been underrepresented in national cultural memory despite spanning five decades. His award is a quiet corrective to the long-standing Bollywood-centric framing of Indian cinema.
NationPress
21 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's Narmada district on 22 September 2026. This is the first time the ceremony is taking place outside New Delhi since the awards were instituted in 1954, following a Ministry of Information and Broadcasting decision to rotate the venue across Indian states.
Who will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2024?
Veteran actor Anant Nag will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony. He is being honoured for his contribution to Indian cinema and a career spanning more than five decades, primarily in Kannada and Hindi films.
Who won Best Actor and Best Actress at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for 'Bramayugam' and 'Chandu Champion' respectively. Yami Gautam won Best Actress in a Leading Role for 'Article 370', which also claimed the Best Feature Film award.
Why is the National Film Awards ceremony being held in Ekta Nagar?
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting decided to take the ceremony beyond New Delhi and hold future editions in different states and cities across India. Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district is the first city outside the capital to host the awards in the event's over-70-year history.
What is President Murmu's full schedule during her Gujarat visit?
President Droupadi Murmu's Gujarat visit runs from 21 to 23 September 2026. She will preside over the National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar on 22 September, then travel to Vadodara on 23 September for the 75th annual convocation of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, and also launch the Brahma Kumaris' 'Spiritual Awakening for World Renewal' campaign and inaugurate the 'Global Spiritual Palace' Retreat Centre.
