The 72nd National Film Awards winners will be announced today at 5:30 pm, with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting set to reveal the results at the National Media Centre in New Delhi. The announcement will also be streamed live on PIB India’s YouTube channel.The prestigious awards are regarded as India’s highest official recognition for cinematic excellence. Every year, they honour outstanding achievements across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema. Awards are also presented in categories including acting, direction, screenplay, music, cinematography, editing and several technical disciplines.
Jayaraj-led jury completes evaluation
The selection process was carried out by an 11-member jury headed by acclaimed filmmaker Jayaraj. The panel examined entries submitted from different regions of the country before preparing its final recommendations.Following extensive discussions and evaluations, the jury submitted its recommendations to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which will officially announce the winners today.The National Film Awards continue to recognise artistic merit, storytelling and technical excellence across India’s diverse film industries. The awards celebrate achievements irrespective of language or commercial performance, giving equal importance to creative and technical contributions.
Several acclaimed films in contention
The 2024 eligibility period featured a wide range of successful films across Indian cinema. Commercial blockbusters such as Stree 2 , ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, ‘Manjummel Boys’, ‘Premalu’, ‘Hanu Man’ enjoyed impressive theatrical runs and became some of the biggest successes of the year.On the other hand, internationally recognised films including ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and ‘Laapataa Ladies’ received widespread appreciation for their storytelling and earned global recognition.The final list of winners will reveal which films and filmmakers have impressed the jury across the numerous award categories.
Performances likely to attract attention
Several performances from the eligibility period generated strong appreciation from critics and audiences alike. Mammootty earned praise for his performance in ‘Bramayugam’, while Prithviraj Sukumaran received acclaim for survival drama ‘Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life’. Kartik Aaryan was also widely appreciated for portraying the lead role in ‘Chandu Champion’.Among the actresses, Sai Pallavi impressed viewers with Amaran, while Alia Bhatt drew praise for Jigra. Yami Gautam was appreciated for ‘Article 370’, Shraddha Kapoor received positive responses for ‘Stree 2’, and Kani Kusruti attracted widespread acclaim through her performances in ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and ‘Girls Will Be Girls’.
Announcement delayed by nearly two weeks
This year’s announcement comes after a delay of around two weeks. Earlier reports suggested that the jury required additional time to complete the evaluation process before finalising the winners. Scheduling commitments involving a few jury members also contributed to the postponement.During the delay, media organisations and industry observers were advised to avoid speculation until the selection process was completed. With the deliberations now concluded, the Ministry is ready to officially announce the winners across various categories.Only films that received certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, are eligible for this edition of the National Film Awards.
