The 72nd National Film Awards will not follow its usual New Delhi tradition this time, with the ceremony instead set for Gujarat on September 22. At Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, near the Statue of Unity, President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards. Indian cinema’s best from 2024 will be celebrated as 92 winners receive honours, alongside veteran actor Anant Nag, who will be conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.

National Film Awards ceremony date and live streaming

The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, September 22, at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat, framed by the iconic Statue of Unity. President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards to the winners when the event commences at 3 pm IST. For anyone unable to attend in person, the National Film Awards 2026 will also be available to watch live online, with the DD National YouTube channel streaming the ceremony from 3 pm onwards.

National Film Awards step outside Delhi for the first time

This year’s ceremony also carries added significance, as the National Film Awards step outside Delhi for the first time. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced plans to rotate the event across various parts of the country in the years ahead. Gujarat’s hosting of the ceremony marks the start of this new approach, which the government has linked to the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.

National Film Awards: Key winners announced

Best Feature Film honours have gone to ‘Article 370’, with Yami Gautam bagging Best Actress for her role in the film. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan jointly won Best Actor for ‘Bramayugam’ and ‘Chandu Champion’, respectively, while Randeep Hooda took home Best Debut Director for ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar’.‘Kalki 2898 AD’ was named Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, and Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Direction for ‘Amaran’. Elsewhere, ‘Pushpa: The Rule Part-02’ picked up Best Costume Designer and Best Screenplay (Original), ‘Stree 2’ was recognised for Best Choreography, and ‘Maharaja’ won Best Action Direction.‘Srikanth’ was named Best Hindi Film, and ‘Feminichi Fathima’ took the Best Malayalam Film honour. Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag will also be felicitated with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 at the ceremony, in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema across a career of more than five decades.