The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has announced that the President of India will present the 72nd National Film Awards on 22 September 2026 at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat. The ceremony will honour outstanding films and filmmaking talent from across the country for their work in 2024. This marks a shift in how India celebrates its cinema, as the awards are being held outside the national capital for the first time.
The Awards and Winners
The National Film Awards, established in 1954, are India’s highest honours for cinema. They recognise excellence across feature films, non-feature films, and writing on cinema.
Key winners announced for this year include:
- Best Feature Film: Article 370
- Best Non-Feature Film: Bhangaar
- Best Documentary: Ram-Nami
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Yami Gautam for Article 370
- Best Debut Director: Randeep Hooda for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar
- Best Film Critic: Sanjeev Shrivastava
- Best Book on Cinema: Naaniruvude Nimagaagi Naadiruvude Nanagaagi by Dr. Pradeep Kenchanuru
Popular films including Kalki 2898 AD, Amaran, Pushpa: The Rule Part-02, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Stree 2 will receive awards in various categories. The awards also recognise films in multiple languages including Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu and Garhwali. A Santhali film will be honoured in the Non-Feature Film section for the first time.
What this means for you
If you follow Indian cinema, this ceremony represents an opportunity to see India’s film industry celebrated at the highest level, with recognition spanning regional languages and genres beyond mainstream Hindi cinema. The decision to hold the awards in Gujarat rather than Delhi reflects a policy to take national celebrations to different parts of the country, making the event more accessible to filmmakers and audiences beyond the capital.