National Film Awards 2026 ceremony moves to Gujarat for the first time, with President Murmu honouring Anant Nag and other top winners on September 22
New Delhi/Gujarat: The 72nd National Film Awards will break a long-standing tradition on September 22, 2026, when the main ceremony moves from New Delhi to Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards at a venue near the Statue of Unity, marking the first time the ceremony has taken place outside the national capital. The event will honour Indian films from 2024, with around 92 winners receiving recognition across different categories. Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag will also receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, while Yami Gautam, Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan feature among the major winners.
When is the National Film Awards ceremony?
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. The event will begin at 3 PM IST in Ekta Nagar.
People who cannot attend the ceremony can watch it online. DD National’s YouTube channel will stream the event live from 3 PM onwards.
The ceremony itself will present the awards, but the government had already announced the winners on July 18, 2026. Therefore, September 22 marks the formal felicitation of the winners rather than the announcement of the results.
Anant Nag to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
One of the biggest moments of the ceremony will come when veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag receives the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.
The award represents the highest recognition given to an individual for contribution to Indian cinema. Nag has spent more than five decades in the film industry and has worked primarily in Kannada cinema while also appearing in films across other Indian languages.
Born on September 4, 1948, Anant Nag is the younger brother of late actor-director Shankar Nag. The government awarded him the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award includes a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus), a shawl and ₹10 lakh. Nag will become the 57th recipient since the award began in 1969.
Article 370, Yami Gautam and Mammootty among major winners
The 72nd National Film Awards will recognise several major films and performers from Indian cinema.
Article 370 won the Best Feature Film award, while Kalki 2898 AD took home Best Popular Feature Film.
Yami Gautam won Best Actress. The Best Actor award went jointly to veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion.
The honour marks a major milestone for Kartik Aaryan, as he receives his first National Film Award.
Director Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Direction for Amaran
The awards also recognised commercially successful films, including Pushpa: The Rule Part 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Stree 2. The 72nd edition covers films and work across languages such as Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu and Garhwali.
National Film Awards leave Delhi for the first time
The National Film Awards have traditionally held their main presentation ceremony in New Delhi. Vigyan Bhawan has hosted the event for several decades, making the decision to shift the 72nd ceremony a major change.
This year, organisers have chosen Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia, as the venue. The location sits close to the Statue of Unity, one of Gujarat’s most prominent landmarks.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has connected the move with the idea of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”, which promotes cultural and national integration. The ministry has also announced plans to take future editions to different states instead of keeping the ceremony permanently in Delhi.
Santhali film wins Best Non-Feature Film
The 72nd edition has also created a notable milestone in the Non-Feature Film section.
For the first time, a Santhali-language film has received the Best Non-Feature Film honour. The award went to Bhangaar.
The recognition adds another layer of linguistic diversity to this year’s awards and highlights filmmaking from India’s regional and tribal-language communities.
Why did the ceremony move to Gujarat?
The government wants the National Film Awards to reach audiences beyond Delhi. By shifting the ceremony to Gujarat, organisers have given the event a national setting outside the capital for the first time.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has said it plans to rotate the ceremony among different states in future editions. Officials have linked the approach to “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”.
Ekta Nagar also offers a symbolic backdrop. The Statue of Unity has become one of India’s major tourist and national landmarks, giving the cinema ceremony a setting that connects the event with a different part of the country.
Large arrangements planned near the Statue of Unity
Organisers have prepared a large event area near the Statue of Unity to accommodate the ceremony.
A major pandal will seat nearly 1,000 guests, while an air-conditioned dome will accommodate more than 1,000 VIP attendees.
The arrangements will bring together award winners, filmmakers, actors, government representatives and other guests from the Indian film industry.
How the National Film Awards selected the winners
The awards attracted entries from across India’s film industry. This edition received 400 feature-film entries, 161 non-feature film entries, 38 book entries and 24 critics’ submissions.
The selection process followed a two-tier system. Regional committees first examined the entries and shortlisted the works before a central committee made the final selections.
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) administers the awards.
Kartik Aaryan reaches Ekta Nagar ahead of the ceremony
Kartik Aaryan has already reached Ekta Nagar ahead of the ceremony. The actor shared photographs from the Statue of Unity on social media before collecting his first National Film Award.
His win for Chandu Champion places him alongside Mammootty in the Best Actor category for the 72nd edition.
President Droupadi Murmu will formally present the awards during the ceremony, giving the event an additional constitutional and national significance.
The September ceremony will combine familiar faces from Indian cinema with a major change in the history of the National Film Awards.
After decades in Delhi, the awards will now take centre stage in Gujarat. Anant Nag will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, while the 2024 films and performances recognised by the jury will get their formal moment under the Statue of Unity.
