National Awards to be held in Gujarat instead of Delhi
What's the story
In a historic move, the 72nd National Film Awards will reportedly be held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, this year. This marks the first time that the prestigious awards ceremony will not take place in New Delhi. Ekta Nagar is home to the Statue of Unity. President Droupadi Murmu is expected to attend and present the awards during her visit later this month.
Tradition disrupted
Venue shift from New Delhi to Ekta Nagar
The proposed venue for the 72nd National Film Awards marks a significant departure from the long-standing tradition of hosting the ceremony in New Delhi.
In recent years, Vigyan Bhawan has been the venue for the event, with the President traditionally presenting honors to winners there.
This year, however, Ekta Nagar is expected to host the ceremony, per PTI.
Awards recap
Winners of 72nd National Film Awards
The 72nd National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi in July. The awards honored films released in 2024, with Article 370 winning Best Feature Film and Yami Gautam Dhar being named Best Actress.
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award.
This year, filmmaker Aanand L Rai won Best Direction in the non-feature category for Statue of Unity - Ekta ka Prateek.