National Film Awards to move from Delhi to Gujarat for 72nd edition

The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be held on September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Gujarat. This marks a significant departure from tradition, as the ceremony is moving out of New Delhi for the first time in its 72-year history. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has initiated a policy to hold future awards in various parts of the country to promote regional diversity.

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to present the honours to 92 winners near the Statue of Unity. Key awardees for the 2024 cinematic year include ‘Article 370’ as Best Feature Film, with Yami Gautam winning Best Actress. The Best Actor award will be shared by Mammootty for ‘Bramayugam’ and Kartik Aaryan for ‘Chandu Champion’. Other notable winners include Randeep Hooda for Best Debut Director and the film ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ for Best Popular Film.

The event aims to celebrate the linguistic and cultural breadth of Indian filmmaking, recognizing excellence across various languages including Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Santhali.