72nd National Film Awards: Kartik Aaryan reaches Gujarat ahead of grand ceremony
The 72nd National Film Awards will be held at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on September 22, with President Droupadi Murmu presenting honours to 92 artists.
The Statue of Unity in Gujarat is all set to become the centre of attention as the 72nd National Film Awards take place at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, on September 22. The venue has been given a grand makeover for the prestigious ceremony, with a large pandal, an air-conditioned dome and elaborate arrangements for the guests. President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards at the ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 3 pm.
Ahead of the much-awaited ceremony, Kartik Aaryan has reached Gujarat to attend the event. The actor, who will be honoured with the National Film Award for his performance in Chandu Champion, also gave fans a glimpse of his arrival through a post on social media.
Grand Preparations at the VenueSpecial arrangements are being made near the Statue of Unity for the star-studded event. A large pandal with seating for around 1,000 people has been set up at the venue. Another huge air-conditioned dome is being prepared to accommodate more than 1,000 VIP guests.
The dome has been built using a high-tech German-engineered structure. It will welcome film personalities, government officials and other dignitaries attending the ceremony. The arrangements reflect the scale and importance of one of India's biggest annual film award ceremonies.
Film Personalities Arrive in KevadiaThe first guests from the film industry have already started arriving in Kevadia. Several Bollywood personalities are expected to attend the ceremony, along with artists, directors and technicians from different regional film industries.
The National Film Awards bring together talent from across the country and recognise contributions to Indian cinema in different languages and forms. The awards cover feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
Anant Nag to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke AwardOne of the biggest highlights of the ceremony will be the presentation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 to veteran actor Anant Nag. The honour recognises his contribution to Indian cinema and his long career spanning more than five decades.
Anant Nag has worked in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Marathi cinema. He has appeared in more than 300 films during his career and remains one of the respected names in Indian cinema.
Major National Film Award WinnersThe winners of the 72nd National Film Awards were announced on July 18, 2026. Article 370 has been named Best Feature Film, while Bhangaar won Best Non-Feature Film and Ram-Nami was selected as Best Documentary.
The Best Actor award has been shared by Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion. Yami Gautam has been named Best Actress for Article 370. Actor Randeep Hooda will receive the Best Debut Film of a Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
Popular Films Also Receive RecognitionSeveral popular films have also found a place among the winners. Kalki 2898 AD has been recognised as Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Amaran won the Best Direction award for Rajkumar Periasamy.
Other recognised films include Pushpa: The Rule Part-02, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Stree 2, Captain Miller and 35 – Chinna Katha Kaadu. The awards also recognise films from Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu and Garhwali cinema.
New Location for the National Film AwardsThe 72nd edition is also special because the ceremony is being held outside Delhi. Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia, in Gujarat will host the event this year. The move is part of an initiative to take future National Film Awards ceremonies to different states and cities across India.
A total of 92 artists are set to receive honours at the ceremony. With the winners already announced, the September 22 event will bring them together on one stage and celebrate the films, actors, directors, technicians and other creative talents that contributed to Indian cinema in 2024.
The ceremony will begin at 3 pm on September 22, and viewers will also be able to watch the event live on the DD National YouTube channel.