72nd National Film Awards Ceremony Shifted to Gujarat's Statue of Unity
In a historic departure from a 70-year tradition, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be hosted at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district on September 22, 2026. Since their inception in 1954, India's premier film awards have almost exclusively been held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The upcoming event will take place against the backdrop of the 597-foot Statue of Unity, dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with President Droupadi Murmu presiding over the ceremony.
Preparations are underway at the venue, where a temporary German aluminium structural dome with a seating capacity of nearly 1,000 guests is being erected at the bus bay complex. Narmada District Collector Ganga Singh chaired a high-level administrative meeting to finalize protocol, security, and logistical arrangements for the 75-minute event. A total of 92 awardees who excelled in cinematic works certified during 2024 will be honored. Notable recipients include 'Article 370' for Best Feature Film, Yami Gautam for Best Actress, and Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan, who shared the Best Actor accolade. The venue selection holds special resonance as director Aanand L Rai will receive the Best Direction award in the non-feature category for his documentary 'Statue of Unity–Ekta ka Prateek'.
