Every year, the National Film Awards put the spotlight on films and filmmakers from across India's many languages and regions. Unlike awards focused on a particular industry, the National Film Awards cover Indian cinema as a whole, from mainstream feature films to documentaries, short films and writing on cinema.
The 72nd National Film Awards were announced on 18 July 2026 for films from 2024. The awards were presented on 22 September at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, with President Droupadi Murmu conferring the honours. This year's ceremony also marked a shift from the National Capital, with the government announcing plans to take future ceremonies to different parts of the country.
So, who won what? Here are the major names and films from this year's awards.
Anant Nag Gets The Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Veteran actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, the highest honour in Indian cinema.
The award recognises his contribution to Indian cinema over a career spanning more than five decades, particularly his work in Kannada cinema and across other Indian-language films. He received the honour at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Ekta Nagar.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is separate from the competitive National Film Award categories. It was instituted in 1969 and was first awarded to actor Devika Rani.
Mammootty And Kartik Aaryan Share Best Actor
This year's Best Actor in a Leading Role award went to two actors.
Mammootty won for his performance as Kodumon Potti in the Malayalam psychological horror film Bramayugam.
Kartik Aaryan shared the award for his role in the Hindi sports drama Chandu Champion. The award marked Aaryan's first National Film Award. For Mammootty, the honour marked his fourth National Film Award for Best Actor.
Yami Gautam Wins Best Actress For Article 370
Yami Gautam won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Article 370.
The film, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, also won the biggest film award of the night, Best Feature Film. The award went to producers Jio Studios and B62 Studios.
The 2024 film follows an intelligence officer's role in the events surrounding the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
For Gautam, this was her first National Film Award.
Randeep Hooda Wins For His Directorial Debut
Actor Randeep Hooda was recognised in a different role this year.
His film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar won the Best Debut Film of a Director award, marking Hooda's National Film Award recognition for his directorial debut.
Amaran, Kalki 2898 AD And Pushpa 2 Also Win
Several major releases from 2024 also featured prominently in the winners list.
Amaran won Best Direction for director Rajkumar Periasamy. The film also won Best Editing for R. Kalaivannan and Best Music Direction for Background Music for G. V. Prakash Kumar.
Kalki 2898 AD received the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. It also won Best Production Design for Nitin Zihani Choudhary.
Pushpa: The Rule Part 2 won Best Screenplay, Original for Bandreddi Sukumar. It also received the award for Best Costume Design, shared by Deepali Noor and Sheetal Sharma.
Meanwhile, Stree 2 won Best Choreography for Vijay Ganguly for the song Aaj Ki Raat, while Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 won Best Sound Design for Manas Choudhury.
Other Major Acting And Film Honours
Sanjay Mishra won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Bhakshak.
Sachana Namidass for Maharaja and Ropashree Varkady for Mithya shared Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Dhanush received a Special Mention for his performance in Captain Miller. Raayan, which he directed, was also named Best Tamil Film.
In the non-feature section, Bhangaar won Best Non-Feature Film, while Ram-Nami won Best Documentary. Statue of Unity - Ekta ka Prateek won Best Direction, with Aanand L Rai receiving the award.
What Exactly Are The National Film Awards?
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954. They recognise creative and technical achievements in Indian cinema and are administered under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The awards are divided into three broad areas: Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Writing on Cinema. Feature Film awards cover acting, direction, music, cinematography, editing and several other crafts. Non-Feature Film awards cover documentaries, short films, animation and other forms. The writing section recognises books and film criticism.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the lifetime honour associated with the National Film Awards and recognises an individual's contribution to Indian cinema.
The 72nd edition therefore brings together everything from blockbuster productions and leading actors to regional films, documentaries and technical artists, giving the 2024 film year its national recognition.
TL;DR | News At A Glance
Who won Best Actress at the 72nd National Film Awards?
Yami Gautam won Best Actress for Article 370.
Who won Best Actor?
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion, respectively.
Who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
Veteran actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.
Which film won Best Feature Film?
Article 370 won Best Feature Film.
Did Dhanush win a National Film Award?
Yes. Dhanush received a Special Mention for his performance in Captain Miller. He also directed Raayan, which won Best Tamil Film.
Which film won Best Direction?
Amaran, directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, won Best Direction.
When were the 72nd National Film Awards held?
The awards were presented on 22 September 2026 in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
