At 78, Anant Nag is set to add one of Indian cinema’s biggest honours to a career spanning more than five decades. On 16 September 2026, the government announced him as the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, recognising his contribution to Indian cinema. The award will be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on 22 September.
But Nag’s journey is much bigger than one award. It stretches from theatre and parallel cinema to Kannada blockbusters, television classics and, decades later, films such as K.G.F: Chapter 1.
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Who Is Anant Nag?
Born on 4 September 1948, Anant Nagarkatte grew up in coastal Karnataka. He spent his early years at Anandashram in Kasaragod and at Chitrapur Math in Shirali before continuing his education in Udupi, Shirali, Honnavar and later Bombay, where he completed his matriculation.
His first serious connection with acting came through theatre.
At 18, during a college vacation, Nag was selected to play the lead in a play about Saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He later spent years working in theatre and was exposed to figures including Satyadev Dubey and Girish Karnad.
That theatre background became the foundation for his screen career.
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From Sankalpa To Ankur
Nag made his Kannada film debut with P.V. Nanjaraja Urs’ Sankalpa in 1973. He entered Hindi cinema with Shyam Benegal’s Ankur in 1974.
The 1970s established him as a major face of India’s parallel cinema movement.
He worked with Benegal on films including Nishant, Manthan, Bhumika and Kalyug. His filmography also expanded across languages and genres, while Kannada cinema became the centre of his career.
Nag’s career was not limited to serious cinema. He became equally known for playing ordinary, relatable characters in Kannada films.
Among his notable Kannada films are Bayalu Daari, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Chandanada Gombe, Benkiya Bale, Ganeshana Maduve and Gauri Ganesha. Later generations also saw him in Mungaru Male, Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, Raajakumara and Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai.
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And Then Came Malgudi Days
For an entire generation of Indian television viewers, Nag is also associated with R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi Days.
The series was directed by his younger brother Shankar Nag, another important figure in Kannada cinema. Anant Nag’s association with the show added television to an already wide-ranging career across theatre, Hindi cinema and Kannada films.
The two brothers also worked together on projects including Minchina Ota and Accident.
From Cinema To Politics
Nag’s career eventually moved beyond films.
He entered public life and served as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council from 1988 to 1994. He then served in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1994 to 1999 and held the position of Minister of State attached to the Chief Minister, handling Bangalore city development.
He later returned his focus to cinema.
Over the decades, Nag has worked in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Marathi cinema. The government’s 2026 announcement noted that he has appeared in more than 300 films.
What Did Anant Nag Say About PM Modi?
After the Dadasaheb Phalke Award announcement, Nag spoke about the award process and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with changing how film award nominations were opened to public participation.
Speaking to PTI, Nag said that the awards system had earlier involved “nepotism and favouritism” and said that Modi changed it by asking people to recommend names. He also thanked Modi for announcing the award and dedicated the honour to the people of Karnataka.
Will Anant Nag Return To Acting?
Nag’s recent comments suggest that he does not currently plan to return to acting.
In an interview with NDTV on 17 September 2026, he said his decision was not related to health. Instead, he pointed to what he described as declining scripts and dissatisfaction with how some recent films were made. He recalled working on five films in 2021–22 and said their commercial failures contributed to his decision to stop acting.
He also criticised the industry's focus on large box-office numbers and questioned whether contemporary films were giving audiences enough attention to content.
For now, Nag appears to be looking back at a career that has already crossed several generations rather than planning its next chapter on screen.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award adds another milestone to that journey. In 2025, he was also conferred the Padma Bhushan, following decades of work across Indian cinema.
TL;DR | News At A Glance
Who is Anant Nag?
Anant Nag is a veteran Kannada actor whose career spans more than five decades and over 300 films across multiple Indian languages.
Why is Anant Nag in the news?
He has been announced as the recipient of the 2024 Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The award will be presented on 22 September 2026 in Kevadia, Gujarat.
What are his notable works?
His major credits include Ankur, Nishant, Manthan, Bhumika, Malgudi Days, Ganeshana Maduve, Mungaru Male, Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu and K.G.F: Chapter 1.
What did Anant Nag say about PM Modi?
Nag credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with changing the film-award nomination process and said public participation helped remove what he described as “nepotism and favouritism”.
Why has Anant Nag stopped acting?
He told NDTV that his decision was not related to health. He said dissatisfaction with recent scripts and filmmaking contributed to his decision to step away from acting.
What other major honour did he receive?
Nag was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
