Marking a new chapter in Indian cinema, President Droupadi Murmu will present the historic 72nd National Film Awards this evening at Ekta Nagar. Instituted in 1954, these awards represent India’s highest cinematic honours, recognising artistic and technical excellence across various categories, namely Feature, Non-Feature, and Writing on Cinema.

 

As part of a major policy initiative by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the awards are being held outside the national capital. The ceremony at Ekta Nagar brings together cinematic talent from across the country, embodying the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. The president will also honour the veteran actor Anant Nag with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.

 

The stage is set, and the lights are ready in the iconic Ekta Nagar as Kevadia prepares to host the historic 72nd National Film Awards for the very first time. Renowned actors, acclaimed filmmakers, and technicians from across the country have started arriving at the venue for this grand celebration of Indian cinema.

 

The ceremony honours outstanding cinematic achievements for the year 2024. Among the major feature film announcements, Article 370 was selected for Best Feature Film, with Yami Gautam winning Best Actress for her role in the film. The Best Actor honour is shared by Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion. Rajkumar Periasamy earned Best Direction for Amaran, while Kalki 2898 AD was named Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Randeep Hooda won Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. In the non-feature category, the Marathi film Bhangaar was named Best Non-Feature Film, while Director Aanand L Rai was selected for Best Direction for Statue of Unity – Ekta ka Prateek. Ravi Raj Murmu took the Best Debut Director (Non-Feature) honour for the Santhali film, Angen.