National Film Awards 2026: Kartik Aaryan, Yami Gautam Win Big; Emotional Anant Nag Honoured With Dadasaheb Phalke Award
National Film Awards 2026 were held in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar. Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award; Article 370 won Best Feature Film.
The 72nd National Film Awards were presented on September 22, 2026, marking a historic shift as the ceremony moved away from its traditional venue in Delhi to Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, for the first time. The event brought together India’s biggest film personalities to celebrate excellence in cinema across categories, with veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag emerging as the emotional centerpiece of the evening after receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Who Attended the National Film Awards 2026?
President Droupadi Murmu graced the ceremony, which began with the singing of the national song followed by the national anthem. Addressing the gathering, President Murmu congratulated all winners and highlighted the collaborative nature of filmmaking. She noted that a film’s success depends on the contribution of countless people, and extended her wishes to everyone whose hard work went into creating the award-winning films.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also addressed attendees, calling it a matter of pride that the National Film Awards were being hosted in Ekta Nagar for the first time. He remarked that cinema is not merely entertainment but a reflection of society, adding that India’s global identity has strengthened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Anant Nag’s Emotional Dadasaheb Phalke Moment
The most heartfelt moment of the National Film Awards 2026 came when Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2024. Before the honour was presented, a short retrospective film chronicling his journey was screened on stage, followed by a standing ovation from the audience — with actor Mammootty stepping forward to shake his hand.
Visibly moved, Anant Nag addressed the gathering and reflected on his 55-year acting career. He said he had received wonderful opportunities in the Kannada film industry and immense support throughout his journey. He dedicated the award not just to himself but to every producer, director, dialogue writer, song writer, makeup artist and assistant director who had worked alongside him. He also spoke about his connection to India as his motherland and Karnataka as his karmabhoomi, thanking the audience with “Jai Hind, Vande Mataram.”
Best Actor, Best Actress and Other Major Winners
The National Film Awards ceremony recognised excellence across acting, direction, music and writing categories:
Best Feature Film: Article 370, with the honour received by Aditya Dhar
Best Actor: Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion, shared with Mammootty for the Malayalam film Brahmayugam
Best Actress: Yami Gautam for Article 370
Best Debut Director: Randeep Hooda for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar
Best Direction: Rajkumar Periasamy for Amaran
Best Supporting Actor: Sanjay Mishra for Bhakshak
Best Playback Singer: Vaikom Vijayalakshmi, who received a standing ovation
Best Choreography: Vijay Ganguly for the song “Aaj Ki Raat” from Stree
Best Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir for “Jaane Do” from Maidaan
Best Music Director: Shashwat Sachdev for Article 370
Kartik Aaryan’s parents were present at the ceremony to witness his win.
Regional and Feature Film Honours
The Tamil film Raayan, written and directed by Dhanush, won the Best Tamil Feature Film award, with the honour received by Kaveri Kalanidhi. Dhanush was separately honoured for Captain Miller as well.
Among Hindi cinema entries, Srikanth — directed by Tushar Hiranandani and starring Rajkumar Rao — won the Rajat Kamal Award for Best Hindi Feature Film.
Government Announcements at the Ceremony
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav used the platform to make key announcements. He stated that the nation must always come first and spoke about the WAVES initiative aimed at discovering fresh talent that often lacks opportunities. He announced that Prasoon Joshi, Chairperson of Prasar Bharati, would lead a dedicated team to scout young talent across the country, with the next edition of WAVES scheduled for October 2027.
When Vaishnav asked for support from the film fraternity, several celebrities including Aditya Dhar, Kartik Aaryan, Rupali Ganguly and Ranveer Hooda’s peers raised their hands to volunteer.
Non-Feature Film and Literary Awards
Filmmaker Anand L. Rai was honoured in the non-feature film category for his documentary on the Statue of Unity. Saundarya Jayachandran won the Silver Lotus Award for Best Narration, while Sanjeev Srivastava received the Best Film Critic award. In the literary category, the Kannada book Naaniruvude Nimagagi Nadiruvade Managagi, authored by Kanchanuru Pradeep Kumar Shetty, won the Best Book on Cinema award, with publisher Mirror Books also receiving a Swarna Kamal.
Conclusion
The 72nd National Film Awards 2026 stood out not only for its historic venue shift to Ekta Nagar but also for the emotional tributes and forward-looking announcements that defined the evening. From Anant Nag’s tearful acceptance of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Kartik Aaryan and Yami Gautam’s wins for Article 370, the ceremony reaffirmed the depth and diversity of Indian cinema. With government initiatives like WAVES aiming to spotlight emerging talent, the National Film Awards continue to serve as both a celebration of past achievements and a launchpad for the industry’s future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Where were the National Film Awards 2026 held?
Ans. The 72nd National Film Awards were held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, marking the first time the ceremony took place outside Delhi.
Q2: Who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2026?
Ans. Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2024 at the ceremony.
Q3: Which film won Best Feature Film at the National Film Awards 2026?
Ans. Article 370 won the Best Feature Film award, with Aditya Dhar receiving the honour.
Q4: Who won Best Actor and Best Actress at the National Film Awards 2026?
Ans. Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) and Mammootty (Brahmayugam) shared Best Actor, while Yami Gautam won Best Actress for Article 370.
Q5: What announcement did Ashwini Vaishnav make at the ceremony?
Ans. Ashwini Vaishnav announced that Prasoon Joshi would lead a team to discover young talent nationwide, with the next WAVES edition set for October 2027.
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