The winners for the 72nd National Film Awards were officially announced in New Delhi, celebrating the absolute best of Indian cinema certified in 2024. An 11-member jury, headed by renowned Malayalam filmmaker Jayaraj, picked the winners from a massive pool of blockbusters, indie favorites, and intense dramas.
The final list shows just how much Indian cinema has evolved, balancing big-budget commercial success with powerhouse artistic storytelling.
The Big Honors: Article 370 and a Historic Acting Tie
The headline categories saw a massive political thriller dominate the board, alongside a historic tie for the top acting prize.
Article 370 Takes the Crown
Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s political action thriller Article 370 turned out to be the biggest winner of the night, taking home the coveted Best Feature Film award. The jury praised the film for its tight screenplay, intense pacing, and its sharp handling of the complex administrative operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
A Historic Tie for Best Actor
The Best Actor category witnessed an absolute photo finish, resulting in a shared victory between two completely different generations of cinema:
Mammootty (Bramayugam): The legendary veteran won the trophy for his haunting, masterful performance in the black-and-white Malayalam horror-drama. His portrayal of a manipulative, ancient force was universally loved. Right after the win, his son Dulquer Salmaan shared an emotional tribute online celebrating his father’s legendary streak.
Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion): Sharing the top spot, Kartik won for his incredible physical and emotional transformation in Kabir Khan’s biographical sports drama. Playing Murlikant Petkar—India’s first paralympic gold medalist—marks a massive milestone in his career.
Best Actress: Yami Gautam
Yami Gautam walked away with the Best Actress award for her powerhouse lead performance in Article 370. Her role as a gritty intelligence officer navigating high-stakes ground realities earned unanimous praise for its control and emotional depth.
Directorial Mastery & Supporting Roles
The jury also recognized exceptional work behind the camera and the brilliant character actors who held these stories together.
Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy won the honor for the biographical war drama Amaran. Tracing the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, the film was applauded for its raw, authentic action design and emotional storytelling.
Best Supporting Actor: Sanjay Mishra won for his incredibly grounded and impactful performance in Bhakshak, a hard-hitting drama centered around social accountability and journalism.
Best Supporting Actress: This award was shared by two young talents—Ropashree Varkady for her subtle work in the Kannada film Mithya, and Sachana Namidass for her performance in the hit Tamil thriller Maharaja.
Special & Language Categories
The National Awards feature unique slots for films that balance commercial scale with social values, as well as outstanding language-specific cinema.
Nag Ashwin’s massive sci-fi blockbuster Kalki 2898 AD grabbed the award for Best Wholesome Entertainment, seamlessly blending ancient Indian mythology with futuristic world-building.
The Dhanush-starrer Captain Miller, directed by Arun Matheswaran, won Best Film Promoting National and Social Values for its sharp critique of systemic oppression during the pre-independence era.
In the language categories, Srikanth was named the Best Hindi Film. Directed by Tushar Hiranandani, the biographical drama features Rajkummar Rao in a stellar performance as visual-arts entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla.
Dominance Across Regional Cinema
The 72nd edition put a heavy spotlight on the incredible diversity of regional Indian film hubs.
The South Indian Wave
Best Tamil Film: Dhanush won for Raayan, his second directorial venture. The raw, North Chennai-based action drama was hailed for its technical polish and brooding style. Following the win, AR Rahman publicly congratulated music director GV Prakash Kumar for the film’s incredible background score.
Best Telugu Film: Committee Kurrollu, directed by Yadu Vamsi, took the top prize for its realistic portrayal of rural friendships, local politics, and changing village dynamics.
Best Kannada Film: Sumanth Bhat’s indie coming-of-age drama Mithya won praise for its sensitive, quiet look at childhood grief.
Best Malayalam Film: The social satire Feminist Fathima, directed by Fasil Muhammed, won for its fresh, lighthearted take on women’s voice in traditional setups.
West, East, and North-East Highlights
Best Bengali Film: Veteran filmmaker and musician Anjan Dutt won for Chaalchitra Ekhon, a deeply personal love letter to the legendary auteur Mrinal Sen.
Best Marathi Film: Paresh Mokashi’s wonderfully chaotic and clever social satire Mukkam Post Bombilwaadi secured the honor.
Best Gujarati Film: Abhishek Jain’s Maaran took home the award, continuing the ongoing trend of realistic, content-driven urban Gujarati cinema.
Best Assamese Film: Juiphool, directed by Jadumoni Dutta, won for its beautiful storytelling centered on human relationships against changing rural landscapes.
Best Odia Film: Amartya Bhattacharyya’s avant-garde project Lahari was crowned the best in its language zone.
A Golden Year for Indian Storytelling
What makes this year’s National Film Awards stand out is the sheer weight of the competition. The jury had a grueling task, considering massive hits like Pushpa 2, Stree 2, and Manjummel Boys, festival favorites like Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, and critically adored projects like Laapataa Ladies, Jigra, Premalu, and Hanu Man.
For movies like Article 370, Bramayugam, and Raayan to win big against such a line-up is a huge testament to their quality. The big takeaway from the 72nd National Film Awards is clear: Indian cinema has completely broken past regional barriers, entering a bold new era of technical excellence and fearless storytelling.
📌 Quick Summary: The Top Winners
Best Feature Film: Article 370 (Hindi)
Best Actor: Mammootty (Bramayugam) & Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion)
Best Actress: Yami Gautam (Article 370)
Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy (Amaran)
Best Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD (Telugu)
Best Hindi Film: Srikanth