72nd National Film Awards 2026 Live: Anant Nag to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award; Mammootty, Kartik Aaryan and Yami Gautam Among Honourees

72nd National Film Awards 2026: Historic Ceremony Moves to Gujarat

The 72nd National Film Awards are being presented today, September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, with President Droupadi Murmu conferring the honours on winners from Indian cinema's 2024 awards cycle.

This year's ceremony marks a significant change in the history of the National Film Awards. For the first time in the current era, the presentation ceremony has moved outside New Delhi and is being held at Ekta Nagar, near the Statue of Unity. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that future editions will also be taken to different parts of the country.

Among the biggest moments of the ceremony is veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, India's highest cinema honour. The award recognises his contribution to Indian cinema over a career spanning more than five decades.

Anant Nag to Receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Anant Nag is the central figure of this year's National Film Awards ceremony.

The veteran actor, who has worked extensively in Kannada and Hindi cinema, has been selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that President Murmu would present the honour at the Gujarat ceremony. Nag's career spans more than five decades and includes work across multiple Indian-language film industries.

Nag has also publicly expressed his gratitude for the recognition and dedicated the honour to Karnataka, according to recent reporting.

Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan Share Best Actor Honour

The Best Actor in a Leading Role category has resulted in a tie between two performers from different language industries.

Mammootty has been honoured for his performance in the Malayalam film Bramayugam, while Kartik Aaryan has received the same honour for his performance in the Hindi sports drama Chandu Champion. The official announcement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirms that the two actors share the award.

For Mammootty, the recognition adds another National Film Award to an already distinguished career. For Kartik Aaryan, the honour recognises his performance in Chandu Champion, in which he portrayed Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar.

The shared award also reflects the linguistic breadth of the National Film Awards, with major performances from Hindi and Malayalam cinema being recognised in the same category.

Yami Gautam Wins Best Actress for Article 370

Yami Gautam is being honoured with the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for Article 370.

The official National Film Awards announcement confirms that Article 370 also won Best Feature Film, making the film one of the major winners of the 72nd edition.

The film, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, was produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios. Its recognition at the National Film Awards places both the film and Gautam's performance among the major achievements recognised for Indian cinema's 2024 cycle.

Editorial verification note: Some secondary coverage has incorrectly referred to the film as Article 376. The official Ministry of Information and Broadcasting record clearly identifies the winning film as Article 370. The Celebrity Hour follows the official record.

Article 370 Leads the Major Feature Film Honours

Article 370 has been named Best Feature Film, while several other major 2024 releases have also received National Film Awards.

• Amaran - Best Direction for Rajkumar Periasamy

• Kalki 2898 AD - Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment

• Swatantrya Veer Savarkar - Best Debut Film of a Director for Randeep Hooda

• Captain Miller - Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values

The awards also recognise films across numerous Indian languages and filmmaking traditions.

A Landmark Venue Change for the National Film Awards

The location of this year's ceremony is almost as significant as the awards themselves.

The National Film Awards have traditionally been presented in New Delhi. The 72nd edition is being held at Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia, Gujarat, with the Statue of Unity providing the backdrop.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has described the move as part of a broader initiative to take the National Film Awards beyond the national capital. The government has indicated that future ceremonies will be organised in different states and cities.

The change also underlines the awards' attempt to represent India's regional diversity, with films from several languages and regions receiving recognition in this edition.

The 92 Awardees Being Honoured

The 72nd National Film Awards recognise achievements in Indian cinema for the year 2024 across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.

According to official government information, 92 winners are being honoured at the ceremony.

The non-feature film honours include Bhangaar, which won Best Non-Feature Film, while Ram-Nami was selected as Best Documentary. The awards also include recognition for technical crafts, regional cinema and writing on cinema.

How to Watch the 72nd National Film Awards Live

The ceremony is being held on September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat.

The event is being made available for viewers through Doordarshan's digital platforms, with coverage and live-streaming information announced ahead of the ceremony. News reports have indicated that the DD National YouTube channel is carrying the live presentation.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The 72nd National Film Awards stand out for two reasons: the breadth of the winners and the decision to move the presentation ceremony beyond Delhi.

The recognition of Anant Nag with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award provides the ceremony with a strong career-honour moment, while the shared Best Actor award for Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan brings together two performances from different linguistic industries.

Yami Gautam's Best Actress award and Article 370's Best Feature Film victory further underline the strong showing for the film.

Perhaps the most important institutional change, however, is the venue. By taking the ceremony to Ekta Nagar, the National Film Awards are beginning a new approach to where India's biggest national cinema honours are presented. The government's stated plan to rotate future ceremonies across states could make the awards increasingly connected to different regional film cultures.

Sources & Verification

This report was prepared using official information released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Press Information Bureau, including the official 72nd National Film Awards winner announcement, the government's ceremony backgrounder and its announcement regarding the Gujarat venue. Recent reporting from All India Radio, The Indian Express, India Today and other established publications was used to cross-check the ceremony timing, venue and latest event developments. Where secondary reports conflicted with the official record, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's published award list was treated as authoritative.