In an unprecedented departure from tradition, the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was officially hosted in Kevadia, Gujarat, near the iconic Statue of Unity, shifting the venue away from New Delhi to celebrate cinema closer to regional cultural milestones. High-profile film personalities and top industry awardees arrived at the venue to receive the prestigious honors presented by government dignitaries. Among the prominent attendees, acclaimed actor Randeep Hooda was felicitated for his transformative biographical performance in Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, while actor Kartik Aaryan engaged with local fan contingents during pre-ceremony promotional visits. Film federation organizers and ministry representatives highlighted that decentralizing the awards ceremony provides an expanded national stage for diverse cinematic achievements across languages and states. Industry analysts commended the move, observing that hosting the nation's highest film accolades outside the capital highlights India's vast cultural heritage and promotes regional entertainment hubs across the country.

Historic Shift Takes National Cinema Honors to Ekta Nagar

Breaking a seven-decade tradition of hosting the proceedings in New Delhi, the 72nd National Film Awards were presented at Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Gujarat, adjacent to the iconic Statue of Unity. The initiative, driven by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting under the 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' policy, aims to decentralized national film celebrations across various regions of India. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the awards upon the country's finest actors, directors, technicians, and writers, celebrating cinematic works certified in the year 2024.

Overview: Key Winners at the 72nd National Film Awards

Award CategoryRecipient / Winning TitleKey Significance / Film Details
Dadasaheb Phalke AwardAnant NagFive-decade career across Kannada and Indian cinema
Best Feature FilmArticle 370Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Best Actor in a Leading RoleMammootty (Bramayugam) & Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion)Shared honor across two distinct cinematic traditions
Best Actress in a Leading RoleYami Gautam (Article 370)Portrayal of intelligence officer Zooni Haksar
Best DirectorRajkumar Periasamy (Amaran)Tamil biographical action-drama
Best Debut DirectorRandeep Hooda (Swatantrya Veer Savarkar)Historical biographical film
Wholesome EntertainmentKalki 2898 ADDirected by Nag Ashwin

Anant Nag Honored with Highest Cinematic Distinction

The pinnacle of the evening arrived as 78-year-old veteran actor Anant Nag was bestowed with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024. Spanning a career of over 50 years across more than 300 films—primarily in Kannada, along with landmark roles in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Marathi—Nag was lauded for his artistic versatility and enduring contributions to Indian parallel and mainstream cinema.

Major Category Wins and Joint Best Actor Honors

The major feature film awards showcased strong performance across both mainstream and regional film industries:

  • Best Feature Film: Political thriller Article 370 secured the top feature film honor, with lead actor Yami Gautam winning Best Actress in a Leading Role.

  • Shared Best Actor: Veteran Malayalam star Mammootty earned his fourth career National Film Award for his terrifying performance in Bramayugam, sharing the Best Actor trophy with Kartik Aaryan for his portrayal of paralympic swimmer Murlikant Petkar in Chandu Champion.

  • Non-Feature & Writing Categories: Bhangaar received the award for Best Non-Feature Film, while Ram-Nami was selected as Best Documentary. In writing on cinema, Sanjeev Shrivastava won Best Film Critic, and Dr. Pradeep Kenchanuru took Best Book on Cinema for his work on Kannada film philosophy.