New Delhi, July 18: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday announced the winners of the 72nd National Film Awards, recognising excellence in Indian cinema across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
The awards honour films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) during the 2024 calendar year.Political drama Article 370 emerged as the biggest winner of the ceremony, securing the prestigious Best Feature Film award.
The film’s lead actor, Yami Gautam, was named Best Actress for her widely appreciated performance, adding another major honour to the film’s success.
The Best Actor award was shared by Kartik Aaryan for his role in Chandu Champion and veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty for his performance in Bramayugam.
Kartik received recognition for portraying Paralympian Murlikant Petkar with remarkable dedication, while Mammootty was honoured for his powerful performance in the critically acclaimed horror drama.
Tamil filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy won the Best Director award for Amaran. Science-fiction epic Kalki: 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, received the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment award, acknowledging its commercial appeal and cinematic achievements.
Actor-filmmaker Randeep Hooda earned the Best Debut Film of a Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, marking a significant milestone in his career as a filmmaker.
In the Hindi film category, Srikanth, directed by Tushar Hiranandani, was honoured as the Best Hindi Feature Film. The film was praised for its inspiring storyline and strong performances.
The Best Film Critic (Hindi) award was presented to Sanjeev Shrivastava in recognition of his contribution to film journalism and criticism.
The awards highlighted the depth and diversity of Indian cinema, celebrating outstanding performances, direction and storytelling across multiple languages and genres.
They also reflected the industry’s continued focus on meaningful narratives alongside commercially successful productions.
The 72nd National Film Awards recognised films certified between January 1 and December 31, 2024, reaffirming the National Film Awards’ status as India’s highest official honour for cinematic excellence.
