National Film Awards moved away from Delhi- will be held in Gujarat for the first time
The National Film Awards ceremony this year for the movies released in 2024 will be held outside Delhi. Kevadia, which has been renamed Ekta Nagar and is home to the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, has been selected to host the next ceremony, where President Droupadi Murmu will present the honours on September 22. The ceremony has rarely moved out away from the national capital since its existence in 72 years.
The decision stems from a major policy initiative by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The award ceremony is usually held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, which is slated for demolition this year or in 2027 as part of the redevelopment of the Central Vista, parliament and its surroundings. The annexe has already been demolished and turned into a “plot” for a new central secretariat building.
The first National Film Awards ceremony was held in 1954 at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan. Since then, most of the award ceremonies have taken place there. The ceremony to be held in Kevadia will be the 72nd edition of the awards and will mark a departure from the usual tradition, although there have been instances when the ceremony was held outside Delhi. The 17th National Film Awards ceremony, for instance, was held in Chennai in 1971.
Yami Gautam-starrer Article 370 has been named Best Feature Film, while has been named Best Actress. Malayalam superstar Mammootty and Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan will share the Best Actor award for their roles in Brahmāyugam and Chandu Champion, respectively.
Randeep Hooda, actor and filmmaker, has been named Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a biopic on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Telugu science-fiction epic Kalki 2898 AD will be honoured with the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment award, while Tamil film Captain Miller, directed by Arun Matheswaran and starring Dhanush, has been named Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values.
For the first time, a Santhali film will also be honoured in the non-feature film section. Sanjeev Srivastava will receive the Best Film Critic Award in the Best Writing on Cinema category.
The Best Book on Cinema Award will be given to Naaniruvedu Nimagagi Nadiruvedu Nanagagi: Kannada Cinemada Tattva Matthu Rajakiya, written by Dr Pradeep Kenchanooru and published by Mirror Pustaka.
Instituted in 1954, the National Film Awards are the country’s most prestigious honours for excellence in cinema. Over seven decades, the awards have recognised outstanding creative and technical achievements across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema, while reflecting the rich linguistic culture and regional diversity of Indian filmmaking.