The National Film Awards constitute the most prestigious and highest accolades that are awarded to the filmmakers for their work in cinema in India. Awarded since 1954, the award includes a range of recognition for creative and technical achievement in feature films, non-feature films and the field of film criticism.
The winners of 72nd National Film Awards include films released in the year 2024. The award recipients will be announced on 18 July 2026 whereas the awards ceremony will take place on 22 September 2026 in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, India.
History of National Film Awards
The history of Indian movies dates back to Dadasaheb Phalke’s film Raja Harishchandra, released in the year 1913. National film awards were suggested by the Film Enquiry Committee which came up in the year 1949.
The very first National Film Awards were organized in 1954 for films released during the previous year. For the category of Best All India Feature Film, the film Shyamchi Aai got President’s Gold Medal, while the documentary film Mahabalipuram got the award for Best Documentary Film.
National Film Awards have been growing gradually from the beginning of their inception. Recognition for actors and technicians for their performances started for the year 1967. The first award for the categories of Best Actor and Best Actress was given in 1968 to Uttam Kumar and Nargis respectively.
The History of the National Film Awards
| Year | Historical Event |
| 1913 | The film Raja Harishchandra was produced by Dadasaheb Phalke |
| 1954 | Institution of the National Film Awards |
| 1967-68 | Introduction of acting and technical awards |
| 1969 | The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted |
| 1973 | The Directorate of Film Festivals started administering the awards |
| 2022 | Merging of the Directorate with the NFDC |
| 2026 | The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be held in Ekta Nagar |
Categories of National Film Awards
These awards are categorized into three broad groups: Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the lifetime achievement award for the ceremony.
| Section | Categories Award |
| Feature Films | 26, along with Special Mentions Swarna Kamal, Rajat Kamal |
| Non-Feature Films | 16, along with Special Mentions Swarna Kamal, Rajat Kamal |
| Best Writing on Cinema | 2 Swarna Kamal |
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | 1 Swarna Kamal and shawl |
There are 26 feature film categories including Best Feature Film, Best Direction, acting, cinematography, music direction, costume design and children’s film. The non-features include documentary, short film and animation categories.
National Film Awards Selection Process
Only such films which have received certification from the CBFC in the particular year are eligible for consideration according to the conditions of eligibility. In case of Feature Films, there is a two-stage selection process.
In the first stage, five regional panels study and select films throughout India. The final selection in the Feature Film category is made by a central jury panel. The juries consider non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema separately.
In case of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the process is different. There are no nominations; only an expert committee composed of eminent film personalities selects the awardee.
For the 72nd edition of National Film Awards, Jayaraj presided over the Feature Film Jury while Aseem Sinha chaired the Non-Feature Film Jury and A. Chandrasekhar chaired the Best Writing on Cinema Jury.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 To Be Awarded to Veteran Actor Anant Nag
Anant Nag will be honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024. The Indian Government announced his name for this award on 16th September, 2026.
Anant Nag was born on 4th September, 1948 in Karnataka. He started his acting career in the early 1970s and has appeared in over 300 films in six Indian languages as well as in his renowned TV serial “Malgudi Days”.
Anant Nag won the Padma Bhushan award in 2025. Some other previous awardees are Mohanlal (2023), Mithun Chakraborty and Waheeda Rehman.
72nd National Film Awards, 2024 Feature Films Section Winners List
| No. | Award Category | Film | Language | Winner/Awardee | Medal and Cash Prize |
| 1 | Best Feature Film | Article 370 | Hindi | Producer: Jio Studios & B62 Studios; Director: Aditya Suhas Jambhale | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 2 | Best Debut Film of a Director | Swatantrya Veer Savarkar | Hindi | Director: Randeep Hooda | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 3 | Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment | Kalki 2898 AD | Telugu | Producer: Vyjayanthi Movies; Director: Nag Ashwin Singireddy | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 4 | Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values | Captain Miller | Tamil | Producer: Sathya Jyothi Films; Director: Arun Matheswaran | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 5 | Best Children’s Film | 35- Chinna Katha Kaadu | Telugu | Producer: S Originals & Waltair Productions Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Nanda Kishore Emani | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 6 | Best Direction | Amaran | Tamil | Director: Rajkumar Periasamy | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 7 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Bramayugam | Malayalam | Mammootty | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 7 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Chandu Champion | Hindi | Kartik Aaryan | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 7 | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Article 370 | Hindi | Yami Gautam | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 8 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Bhakshak | Hindi | Sanjay Mishra | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 8 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Maharaja | Tamil | Sachana Namidass | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 8 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Mithya | Kannada | Ropashree Varkady | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 9 | Best Child Artist | Mithya | Kannada | Athish S Shetty | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 9 | Best Child Artist | 35- Chinna Katha Kaadu | Telugu | Arundev Pothula | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 9 | Best Child Artist | Onko Ki Kothin | Bengali | Riddhiman Banerjee, Tapomoy Deb & Gitashree Chakraborty | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 10 | Best Male Playback Singer | Gharat Ganpati | Marathi | Abhay Jodhpurkar – “Navasachi Gauri Mazi” | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 11 | Best Female Playback Singer | A. R. M | Malayalam | Vaikom Vijayalakshmi – “Angu Vaana Konilu” | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 12 | Best Cinematography | Bramayugam | Malayalam | Shehnad Jalal | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 13 | Best Screenplay | Pushpa (The Rule Part – 02) | Telugu | Bandreddi Sukumar – Original | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 14 | Best Screenplay | Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke | Marathi | Yogesh Deshpande – Adapted | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- (Shared) |
| 14 | Best Screenplay | Lucky Baskhar | Telugu | Venky Atluri – Dialogue | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 15 | Best Sound Design | Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 | Hindi | Manas Choudhury | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 16 | Best Editing | Amaran | Tamil | R. Kalaivannan | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 17 | Best Production Design | Kalki 2898 AD | Telugu | Nitin Zihani Choudhary | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 18 | Best Costume Design | Pushpa (The Rule Part – 02) | Telugu | Deepali Noor & Sheetal Sharma | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 19 | Best Make-up Committee | Kurrollu | Telugu | P Ravi Kumar | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 20 | Best Music Direction | Article 370 | Hindi | Shashwat Sachdev – Songs | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 20 | Best Music Direction | Amaran | Tamil | G. V. Prakash Kumar – Background Music | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 21 | Best Lyrics | Maidaan | Hindi | Manoj Muntashir – “Jaane Do” | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 22 | Best Choreography | Stree 2 | Hindi | Vijay Ganguly – “Aaj Ki Raat” | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 23 | Best Action Direction (Stunt Choreography) | Maharaja | Tamil | Anl Arasu | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
Best Feature Film – Schedule VIII Languages Winners List
| No. | Category | Winning Film | Winner/Awardee | Medal & Cash Prize |
| 25(a) | Best Assamese Film | Juiphool | Producer & Director: Jadumoni Dutta | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(b) | Best Bengali Film | Chalchitra Ekhon | Producer: Anjan Dutt Production; Director: Anjan Dutt | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(c) | Best Gujarati Film | Maaran | Producer: Cineman Productions Limited; Director: Abhishek Jain | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(d) | Best Hindi Film | Srikanth | Producers: Super Cassettes Industries Pvt. Ltd. & Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP; Director: Tushar Hiranandani | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(e) | Best Kannada Film | Mithya | Producer: Paramvah Pictures & KRG Studios; Director: Sumanth Bhat | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(f) | Best Konkani Film | Mog Asum | Producers: Flowing Mandovi Films LLP, R S Creations & Kathputlee Arts and Films Pvt. Ltd.; Directors: Radheshyam Pipalwa & Agnelo Angelo Braganza | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(g) | Best Malayalam Film | Feminichi Fathima | Producer: 1001 Stories & AFD Cinemas; Director: Fasil Muhammed | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(h) | Best Manipuri Film | Sunita | Producers: Skyline Pictures, Khuman Leipak Pictures, H. M. Production & Cultural Society Khuman Maheikol Production; Director: Yumnam Ajit Singh | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(i) | Best Marathi Film | Mukkam Post Bombilwadi | Producers: Vivek Films & Mayasabha Karamanuk Mandali LLP; Director: Paresh Mokashi | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(j) | Best Odia Film | Lahari | Producer: Jhilik Motion Pictures; Director: Amartya Bhattacharyya | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(k) | Best Tamil Film | Raayan | Producer: Sun TV Network Limited; Director: Dhanush | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 25(l) | Best Telugu Film | Committee Kurrollu | Producers: Pink Elephant Pictures & Shree Radha Damodara Studios; Director: Yadhu Vamsee | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
Best Feature Film – Other Languages
| No. | Category | Winning Film | Winner/Awardee | Medal & Cash Prize |
| 26(a) | Best Garhwali Film | Dholi | Producer: SC Pharmachem Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Dinesh P. Bhonsle | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 26(b) | Best Tulu Film | IMBU | Producer: Pichchar Studio; Director: Shivadhwaj Shetty | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
Feature Film – Special Mention
| Category | Film | Awardee | Medal & Cash Prize |
| Special Mention | Captain Miller | Actor: Dhanush | Certificate |
| Special Mention | Meiyazhagan | Film Sound Mix Engineer: Suren G. | Certificate |
72nd National Film Awards 2024 – Non-Feature Films
| No. | Award Category | Film | Language | Winner/Awardee | Medal and Cash Prize |
| 1 | Best Non-Feature Film | Bhangaar | Marathi & English | Producer & Director: Sumira Roy | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 2 | Best Debut Film of a Director | Angen | Santhali | Director: Ravi Raj Murmu | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 3 | Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film | Kakori | Hindi | Producers: KSR Brothers & Minti Mishra; Director: Kamlesh K Mishra | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 4 | Best Arts/Culture Film | Main Nida | Hindi | Producer: Sampreshan Multimedia Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Atul Pandey | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 5 | Best Documentary | Ram-Nami | Hindi | Producer: BBP Studio Virtual Bharat Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Bharatbala Ganapathy | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 6 | Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values | Piplantri: A Tale of Eco Feminism | Hindi, Rajasthani & English | Producer: Johnsons Suraj Films International; Director: Suraj Kumar | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 7 | Best Animation Film | Touched as Water | Silent | Producer: JB Productions; Director & Animator: Joshy Benedict | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 8 | Best Short Film (Up to 30 Min) | Hamsafar | Marathi | Producer: Anushka Motion Pictures and Entertainments; Director: Abhijeet Arvind Dalvi | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 9 | Best Direction | Statue of Unity – Ekta ka Prateek | Hindi | Director: Aanand L Rai | Swarna Kamal & Rs. 3,00,000/- |
| 10 | Best Cinematography | Life in Loom | English, Tamil, Hindi, Assamese & Bengali | Edmond Ranson | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 11 | Best Sound Design | Blue | Tamil | T S Hari Hara Sudhan | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 12 | Best Editing | NDA | Hindi | Manvir Jasrotia | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 13 | Best Music Direction | Parat 41°chya Magavar (On the Trail of 41°) | Marathi | Shivpal Singh Kang | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 14 | Best Narration/Voice Over | Little Planet: A Tale of Frogs | English | Soundarya Jayachandran | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
| 15 | Best Script | Obur | Hindi & Kashmiri | Faraz Ali | Rajat Kamal & Rs. 2,00,000/- |
Non-Feature Films – Special Mention
| Category | Film | Awardee | Medal & Cash Prize |
| Special Mention | Bhadra-Kali Natakam | Director: Ananda Jyothi (Jose Antony) | Certificate |
| Special Mention | Chola Dora aur Sui | Directors: Jaymin Modi & Lokesh Ghai | Certificate |
72nd National Film Awards 2024 – Best Writing on Cinema Best Book on Cinema
| No. | Category | Book | Language | Author | Publisher | Award |
| 1 | Best Book on Cinema | Naaniruvude Nimagaagi Naadiruvude Nanagaagi: Kannada Cinemada Thathva matthu Rajakeeya | Kannada | Kenchanuru Pradeep Kumar Shetty | Mirror Pusthaka | Swarna Kamal + ₹1,00,000 |
Best Film Critic
| No. | Category | Critic | Language | Award |
| 1 | Best Film Critic | Sanjeev Shrivastava | Hindi | Swarna Kamal + ₹1,00,000 |
Importance of National Film Awards
National Film Awards are created not just to honor popular films, but to motivate excellence in art and technology as well as social relevance. In addition, they provide opportunities for people to watch films from different parts of the country, speaking different languages.
Geographical spread of the award ceremony is increasing as well. The 72nd National Film Awards will be held at Ekta Nagar due to the government’s decision to conduct ceremonies at different places across the country and not just in the National Capital alone.
The 2026 National Film Award ceremony will reflect the rich cinematic tradition of India with even the first Santhali film getting honored in the Non-Feature Film category.
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