The National Film Awards are set to depart from a decades-old tradition this year. For the first time, the prestigious ceremony is likely to be held outside New Delhi, with Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, home to the Statue of Unity, emerging as the probable venue for the 72nd edition.
President Droupadi Murmu is expected to present the awards during her Gujarat visit later this month. According to reports, she is likely to visit Ekta Nagar during the trip and confer the National Film Awards there.
National Film Awards ceremony moves to Gujarat
The proposed venue represents a major shift from the long-established practice of hosting the National Film Awards ceremony in the national capital. In recent years, the event has taken place at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, where the President has traditionally presented the honours to the winners.
The 72nd National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi in July. Honouring films released in 2024, the awards saw Article 370 win Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan jointly received the Best Actor award.
This year’s awards also recognised filmmaker Aanand L Rai with the Best Direction honour in the non-feature category for Statue of Unity – Ekta ka Prateek.
The possibility of hosting the ceremony in Ekta Nagar is especially significant because of the location’s association with the Statue of Unity, one of Gujarat’s most prominent landmarks.
