President Droupadi Murmu presented the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026. Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024; Article 370 won Best Feature Film.
Nag's honour recognises a career rather than one production. That distinction matters when reading the results: a lifetime contribution and the achievement of an individual film are assessed through different categories.
Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion shared the leading-actor award. Yami Gautam received the leading-actress award for Article 370, giving that film recognition for both the production and a performance.
Murmu also urged dignity and social security for assistants and smaller artists. Her emphasis on filmmaking as collective work connected the celebrated recipients with colleagues whose contributions support the finished film.
