The 72nd National Film Awards, recognising achievements in Indian cinema for the year 2024, will be presented by the President of India on September 22 at Ekta Nagar, formerly Kevadia, in Gujarat.
Instituted in 1954, the National Film Awards are among the country’s highest honours for excellence in cinema. Presented annually by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the awards recognise creative and technical achievements across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
The winners of the 72nd edition were announced on July 18, 2026, by the chairpersons of the three juries.
From seven awards to a national platform
The National Film Awards have evolved significantly since their first edition. The awards were established in 1954 following recommendations of the Film Enquiry Committee, with the first honours recognising films made in 1953.
The inaugural edition had three categories covering feature films, documentary films and children’s films. Marathi film Shyamchi Aai received the President’s Gold Medal for Best All-India Feature Film, while Mahabalipuram won the President’s Gold Medal for Best Documentary Film. Do Bigha Zamin received a Certificate of Merit.
Over the years, the awards expanded to recognise actors, technicians and an increasing range of filmmaking crafts. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted in 1969 and was first presented to Devika Rani.
What do the National Film Awards recognise?
The awards are divided into three main sections — Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema — along with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema.
The Feature Film section includes awards for Best Feature Film, Best Direction, acting, cinematography, music direction and costume design, among others.
The Non-Feature Film section covers documentaries, short films, animation, arts and culture films, narration or voice-over and script.
The Best Writing on Cinema section recognises the best book on cinema and the best film critic.
How are the winners selected?
Films certified during the preceding calendar year are invited for consideration. Separate juries are constituted for feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
For feature films, the selection follows a two-tier process. Five regional panels first assess and shortlist entries from across the country. A central panel then decides the winners.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award follows a separate process, with a specially constituted committee of eminent film personalities recommending the recipient.
For the 72nd edition, filmmaker Jayaraj chaired the Feature Film Jury, Aseem Sinha chaired the Non-Feature Film Jury and A. Chandrasekhar chaired the Best Writing on Cinema Jury.
72nd National Film Awards: Key winners
The 72nd edition covers films certified in 2024.
Article 370 won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam received the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for the film.
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion, respectively.
Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Direction for the Tamil film Amaran. Kalki 2898 AD was named Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Randeep Hooda won Best Debut Film of a Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Bhangaar won Best Non-Feature Film, while Ram-Nami was named Best Documentary.
The edition also recognised films across several Indian languages, including Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. Tulu and Garhwali films were also recognised. The release notes that a Santhali film received recognition in the Non-Feature Film section for the first time.
Anant Nag to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 will be conferred on veteran actor Anant Nag.
The government announced the award on September 16, 2026. Born in Karnataka in 1948, Anant Nag began his acting career in the early 1970s and has worked in more than 300 films across six Indian languages. He is also known for his role in the television series Malgudi Days.
He has received five Filmfare Awards and five Karnataka State Best Actor Awards. The Government of India conferred the Padma Bhushan on him in 2025.
Why is the Ekta Nagar ceremony significant?
The government has decided to take future National Film Awards ceremonies beyond the National Capital and hold them in different States and cities.
The 72nd ceremony at Ekta Nagar is part of this approach and is intended to bring the national cinema awards closer to different regions and film communities.
The National Film Awards are intended not only to recognise cinematic excellence but also to encourage films of aesthetic, technical and social relevance and promote appreciation of India’s diverse cultures.
Over seven decades, the awards have evolved alongside Indian cinema, expanding from a small set of honours into a national platform representing the country’s diverse languages, regions and filmmaking traditions.
