New Delhi: The 72nd National Film Awards were announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday, celebrating the finest achievements 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) between January 1 and December 31, 2024.
This year’s honours were led by Article 370, which emerged as the biggest winner by securing the prestigious Best Feature Film award while also earning Yami Gautam the Best Actress honour. The Best Actor award was shared by Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion and Mammootty for Bramayugam.
Article 370 dominates the awards
Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, Article 370 had an outstanding outing at the National Film Awards.
The political thriller won the coveted Best Feature Film award, while Yami Gautam‘s performance as the film’s lead earned her the Best Actress trophy.
The film was widely appreciated upon its release for its compelling narrative, strong performances and treatment of a politically significant subject.
Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty share Best Actor honour
The jury chose to honour two performances in the Best Actor category.
Kartik Aaryan received the award for his portrayal of Paralympian Murlikant Petkar in Chandu Champion. His physical transformation and emotionally layered performance were praised by both critics and audiences.
Veteran Malayalam superstar Mammootty shared the honour for his acclaimed role in Rahul Sadasivan’s horror drama Bramayugam. His powerful performance was regarded as one of the standout acting achievements of the year.
Rajkumar Periasamy wins Best Director
Tamil filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy was named Best Director for Amaran, a critically acclaimed biographical action drama.
The film was also widely appreciated for its performances, direction and technical excellence, further strengthening Tamil cinema’s impressive presence at the National Film Awards.
Kalki: 2898 AD wins Best Popular Film
Director Nag Ashwin’s science-fiction epic Kalki: 2898 AD won the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
The visually spectacular film, featuring an ensemble cast and ambitious storytelling, became one of the biggest commercial successes of 2024 while earning appreciation for its scale and technical achievements.
Other major honours
Actor-director Randeep Hooda won the Best Debut Film of a Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, marking a successful directorial debut.
In the language categories, Srikanth, directed by Tushar Hiranandani and starring Rajkummar Rao, Jyotika and Alaya F, was honoured as the Best Hindi Feature Film.
The Best Film Critic (Hindi) award was presented to Sanjeev Shrivastava for his contribution to film criticism.
A year of acclaimed Indian cinema
The eligibility period witnessed several Indian films earning both domestic and international acclaim.
Films such as All We Imagine As Light and Laapataa Ladies received widespread global recognition, while performances by Sai Pallavi (Amaran), Kani Kusruti (All We Imagine As Light, Girls Will Be Girls), Shraddha Kapoor (Stree 2), Alia Bhatt (Jigra) and Prithviraj Sukumaran (Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life) were among those widely appreciated during the awards season.
The National Film Awards continue to remain India’s highest official recognition for cinematic excellence, honouring outstanding contributions across languages and genres while celebrating the diversity of Indian filmmaking.
Major winners of the 72nd National Film Awards
- Best Feature Film: Article 370
- Best Hindi Feature Film: Srikanth
- Best Actress: Yami Gautam (Article 370)
- Best Actor: Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) and Mammootty (Bramayugam)
- Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy (Amaran)
- Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki: 2898 AD
- Best Debut Film of a Director: Randeep Hooda (Swatantrya Veer Savarkar)
- Best Film Critic (Hindi): Sanjeev Shrivastava
