The 72nd National Film Awards 2026 honored the best of Indian cinema in a historic ceremony held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.Kartik Aaryan] and Mammootty shared the Best Actor award, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress.
Today, the 72nd National Film Awards 2026 wrapped up with a landmark ceremony. Bollywood stars Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty jointly took home Best Actor honours. Yami Gautam clinched the Best Actress award. Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag received the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award — India’s top cinema recognition.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards. The ceremony, held at Gujarat’s iconic Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, made history. For over 70 years, these awards stayed in New Delhi. Not this time. This year, the event celebrated the best of Indian cinema from 2024.
Top Honours in Feature Films
“The biggest validation for an artist,” Yami Gautam called her first National Award. She won Best Actress for her role in the political action-thriller Article 370. The film itself secured Best Feature Film. Gautam said the honour felt like the culmination of 14 years of perseverance and unwavering love for cinema.
For Kartik Aaryan, his first National Film Award came for Best Actor. His role in Chandu Champion, a film celebrating the Paralympic spirit, earned him the honour. Aaryan expressed immense happiness; his entire family was overjoyed. Sharing the Best Actor title, Malayalam superstar Mammootty secured his fourth National Film Award. He won for his performance in Bramayugam, a period folk horror. Mammootty received a standing ovation, calling the recognition an “inspiration for every performer.”
50 years — that’s how long Anant Nag’s illustrious career has spanned. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award honoured the veteran actor. India’s top cinema recognition went to Nag for his contributions. He dedicated the award to the people of Karnataka. Nag felt “very, very lucky and fortunate” to receive such a high honour.
Other Key Winners Across Categories
Beyond the main categories, other winners made their mark. Rajkumar Periasamy took home Best Director for Amaran. Kalki 2898 AD won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Randeep Hooda received Best Debut Film of a Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
Sanjay Mishra secured Best Supporting Actor for Bhakshak. Best Supporting Actress honours went to Ropashree Varkady for Mithya and Sachana Namidass for Maharaja. Captain Miller won Best Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values. Dhanush also earned a Special Mention for his performance in the film.
Non-Feature Film and Technical Awards
The spotlight also shone on non-feature and technical categories. Bhangaar won Best Non-Feature Film. Ram-Nami took Best Documentary. For technical excellence, Shehnad Jalal won Best Cinematography for Bramayugam. Shashwat Sachdev received Best Music Direction (Songs) for Article 370. Manoj Muntashir won Best Lyrics for Jaane Do from Maidaan’.
A New Chapter for the National Film Awards
What does this historic shift mean? The decision to host the ceremony outside New Delhi will bring Indian cinema celebrations closer to more regions. It will also showcase the country’s rich cultural and cinematic diversity. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting plans future editions across various parts of India. This reflects the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.