72nd National Film Awards Held Outside Delhi for First Time

The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony is being held at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat, near the Statue of Unity, marking the first time the event has taken place outside New Delhi in its 72-year history. President Droupadi Murmu is presenting awards across approximately 92 categories to winners recognized for Indian films released in 2024. The awards were announced in July through a press conference, with the ceremony serving as the formal presentation of the honours. Winners announced include Article 370 as Best Feature Film, with its lead Yami Gautam named Best Actress. Malayalam actor Mammootty and Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan are sharing the Best Actor prize, for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion respectively. Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, India's highest cinematic honour, in recognition of a career spanning more than five decades. He is reported to be only the second Kannada actor to receive the award, after Dr. Rajkumar in 1995. Other winners include Randeep Hooda, who won Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, and Rajkumar Periasamy, named Best Director for the Tamil war film Amaran.