National Film Awards: 72nd Edition Honours Article 370, Mammootty, Kartik Aaryan and Yami Gautam

India’s 72nd National Film Awards concluded with a historic ceremony held for the first time outside Delhi, as President Droupadi Murmu felicitated the year’s winners at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, against the backdrop of the Statue of Unity. Political thriller “Article 370” emerged as the biggest winner of the night, while veteran actor Anant Nag was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest cinema honour.

The Ceremony

The winners were originally announced on July 18 in New Delhi, but the formal felicitation ceremony took place on September 22 at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat — the first time in the awards’ 70-plus-year history that the event was held outside the capital. President Droupadi Murmu presented the honours in person, with many of the winning artists travelling to Gujarat specifically to receive their awards from her.

The awards honour films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1 and December 31, 2024, with this year’s selection process drawing 400 entries in the feature film category, 161 in non-feature films, 38 books, and 24 critics’ submissions. An 11-member jury chaired by acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Jayaraj oversaw the selection.

Article 370 Leads the Pack

Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s political action-thriller “Article 370” was the standout title of the night, winning Best Feature Film outright. The film also secured Best Actress for Yami Gautam and Best Music Direction (Songs) for Shashwat Sachdev, making it the single most-awarded film of the ceremony.

Best Actor: A Rare Shared Honour

In a notable outcome, the Best Actor award was shared between two very different performances: Kartik Aaryan for “Chandu Champion,” in which he played Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medallist, and Malayalam veteran Mammootty for his performance in the horror drama “Bramayugam.” The dual win reflects the strength of both Hindi and regional cinema at this year’s awards.

Regional Cinema’s Strong Showing

Telugu cinema had a particularly strong year, taking home seven awards across various categories, reflecting the industry’s continued creative momentum following major commercial and critical successes like “Pushpa 2” and “Lucky Baskhar.” Tamil cinema also featured prominently, with “Amaran” picking up Best Director for Rajkumar Periasamy and Best Editing for R. Kalaivanan.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag was named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, India’s highest honour in cinema, recognising his lifetime contribution to Indian film. The announcement of his award had been made a few days ahead of the main ceremony, building anticipation for his felicitation alongside the competitive category winners.

Why It Matters

The 72nd National Film Awards continued India’s tradition of celebrating excellence across its many film industries in a single ceremony, from mainstream Hindi cinema to Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu productions. The decision to host the felicitation ceremony outside Delhi for the first time also marks a symbolic shift, spreading recognition of Indian cinema’s biggest honour beyond the capital and onto a national stage framed by one of the country’s most iconic modern landmarks.

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