The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards will be announced at 5.30 pm today, with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting unveiling the results at the National Media Center in New Delhi. The announcement will also be streamed live on PIB India’s YouTube channel.The prestigious awards are considered India’s highest official recognition of cinematic excellence. Each year, they honor outstanding achievements in feature films, non-feature films and writing about cinema. Awards are also presented in categories such as acting, directing, screenwriting, music, cinematography, editing and various technical disciplines.
The jury led by Jayaraj completes the evaluation
The selection process was carried out by an 11-member jury headed by renowned filmmaker Jayaraj. The panel reviewed the entries submitted from different regions of the country before preparing their final recommendations.After extensive discussions and evaluations, the jury presented its recommendations to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which will officially announce the winners today.The National Film Awards continue to recognize artistic merit, storytelling and technical excellence across India’s diverse film industries. The awards celebrate achievements regardless of language or commercial performance, giving equal importance to creative and technical contributions.
Several acclaimed films in contention
The eligibility period of 2024 included a wide range of successful films in Indian cinema. Commercial blockbusters like Stree 2, ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, ‘Manjummel Boys’, ‘Premalu’, ‘Hanu Man’ enjoyed impressive theatrical runs and became some of the biggest hits of the year.On the other hand, internationally acclaimed films like ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and ‘Laapataa Ladies’ received great acclaim for their storytelling and gained worldwide recognition.The final list of winners will reveal which films and filmmakers have impressed the jury in the many award categories.
Actions likely to attract attention
Several performances of the eligibility period generated strong appreciation from the critics and the public. Mammootty won accolades for his performance in ‘Bramayugam’ while Prithviraj Sukumaran received accolades for survival drama ‘Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life’. Kartik Aarya He was also highly appreciated for playing the lead role in ‘Chandu Champion’.Among the actresses, Sai Pallavi impressed the viewers with Amaran, while Alia Bhatt praised Jigra. Yami Gautam was appreciated for ‘Article 370’, Shraddha Kapoor received positive responses for ‘Stree 2’, and Kani Kusruti attracted widespread recognition for her performances in ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and ‘Girls Will Be Girls’.
The announcement was delayed by almost two weeks
This year’s announcement comes after a delay of about two weeks. Earlier reports suggested that the jury needed additional time to complete the evaluation process before finalizing the winners. Scheduling engagements involving a few jurors also contributed to the postponement.During the delay, media organizations and industry observers were advised to avoid speculation until the selection process was completed. With the deliberations concluded, the Ministry is ready to officially announce the winners of the different categories.Only films that received certification from the Central Film Certification Board (CBFC) between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, are eligible for this edition of the National Film Awards.