President of India to Present 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on September 22

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced through an official Press Information Bureau release that the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be presented by President Droupadi Murmu on September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat. This shift marks a historical policy decision to hold the nation's highest film honours outside the national capital, reflecting the overarching spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'.

Instituted in 1954, the National Film Awards celebrate excellence across feature, non-feature, and cinematic writing categories in various regional languages. The 2024 winners will be honoured at the iconic venue near the Statue of Unity. Outstanding awardees include 'Article 370' for Best Feature Film, with Yami Gautam receiving Best Actress. Superstars Mammootty ('Bramayugam') and Kartik Aaryan ('Chandu Champion') share the Best Actor accolade, while Randeep Hooda earns Best Debut Director for 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar'. The event highlights the decentralized celebration of Indian cinema's rich cultural diversity across multiple states.