National Film Awards ceremony in Gujarat today; Mammootty, Yami Gautam among awardees

The countdown to the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony has begun, with leading names from Indian cinema arriving in Gujarat ahead of the prestigious event scheduled to be held at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar on Tuesday.
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the honours at the ceremony, which will bring together actors, filmmakers, technicians and other prominent figures from across the Indian film industry.

Among the major highlights this year is Malayalam superstar Mammootty being named joint Best Actor for his performance in 'Bramayugam'. He shares the honour with Kartik Aaryan, who has been recognised for his performance in 'Chandu Champion'. Yami Gautam has been named Best Actress for 'Article 370'.

Several prominent personalities have already arrived in Vadodara ahead of the ceremony, including music director G V Prakash, choreographer Kala Master, Rajya Sabha MP and filmmaker-screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, actor Sreelekha Mukherji and filmmaker Jayarajan Nair.

Speaking to the media outside Vadodara airport, G V Prakash said he was excited to visit the Statue of Unity for the first time. Vijayendra Prasad, the screenwriter of 'RRR', also expressed his excitement about visiting the iconic monument dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

'Article 370' has been named Best Feature Film, while 'Bhangaar' has been selected as Best Non-Feature Film and 'Ram-Nami' as Best Documentary, according to a Press Information Bureau release.
Randeep Hooda has been named Best Debut Director for 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar'. Films including 'Kalki 2898 AD', 'Amaran', 'Pushpa: The Rule Part-02', 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3' and 'Stree 2' will also receive honours in various categories.

Veteran actor Anant Nag will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. With a career spanning more than five decades, Anant Nag has made a lasting contribution to Kannada and Indian cinema through his diverse body of work.

Instituted in 1954, the National Film Awards recognise excellence across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema, representing India's diverse languages, regions and filmmaking traditions.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has decided to take the National Film Awards ceremony to different parts of the country in the coming years. The ceremony at Ekta Nagar marks part of the effort to take the event beyond the national capital and celebrate Indian cinema across different states and cities.