Aditya Jambhale’s Hindi film Article 370, a puff piece about the Union government’s abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under the Constitution in 2019, was named best feature at the 72nd National Film Awards. The film’s lead actor Yami Gautam Dhar also won the best actress in a leading role award.
The awards, announced by jury chairperson Jayaraj, were given out to films made in or certified by the censor board in 2024. Article 370 bagged a third trophy, for Best Music Direction for Songs for Shashwat Sachdev.
Nag Ashwin’s Telugu fantasy drama Kalki 2898 AD was named the best popular film for wholesome entertainment. Kalki 2898 AD picked up another award, for Best Production Design for Nitin Zihani Choudhary.
The award for Best Director went to Rajkumar Periasamy’s Tamil-language Amaran. Periasamy’s film also won in the Best Editing category (for R Kalaivannan). Randeep Hooda’s biopic Swatantrya Veer Savarkar (Hindi) was named Best Debut Film of a Director.
Malayalam legend Mammootty and Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan shared the best actor award for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion respectively. Bramayugam also won the Best Cinematography award, for Shehnad Jalal.
Sukumar’s Pushpa 2: The Rule won in the Best Screenplay (Original) category, while Yogesh Deshpande won the Best Screenplay (Adapted) award for the biopic Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke. Deepali Noor and Sheetal Sharma won the Best Costume Designer award for Pushpa 2.
The list of films that won in the Best Film language categories is as follows: Committee Kurrollu (Telugu), Srikanth (Hindi), Raayan (Tamil), Chalchitra Ekhon (Bengali), Mithya (Kannada), Feminichi Fathima (Malayalam), Juiphool (Assamese), Mukkam Post Bombilwadi (Marathi), Lahari (Odia), Dholi (Garhwali), Maaran (Gujarati), Sunita (Manipuri), Mog Asum (Konkani) and Imbu (Tulu).
Sumira Roy’s documentary Bhangaar was named Best Non-Feature Film. Ravi Raj Murmu’s Angen was named Best Debut Film of a Director.
Ropashree Varkady and Sachana Namidass won the Best Supporting Actress award for Mithya (Kannada) and Maharaja (Tamil) respectively. Sanjay Mishra was named Best Supporting Actor for Bhakshak (Hindi).
Arun Matheswaran’s Captain Miller (Tamil) won the award for Best Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values. Nanda Kishore Emani’s 35 Chinna Katha Kaadu (Telugu) was named Best Children’s Film.
