The 72nd National Film Awards will be given at Ekta Nagar (Kevadia) in Gujarat on September 22, 2026 and President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards. This is a big shift in how India’s most coveted national cinema awards are held the government has decided to move it beyond Delhi and hold future editions at different locations across the country.
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 and have grown into one of India’s most prestigious awards for excellence in cinema. They recognise achievements in feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema as well as the country’s linguistic, cultural and regional diversity.
The ceremony in Ekta Nagar is significant because it breaks the tradition of holding the event mostly in New Delhi. Vigyan Bhawan has been the venue for National Film Awards and shifting the ceremony to Gujarat is a new development for India’s film industry.
“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says the move to hold the National Film Awards in different places across the country is part of a policy initiative to take this prestigious event out of Delhi,” reports The Hindu. “It could give different states and cities an opportunity to host one of India’s most important celebrations of cinematic achievement.”
Ekta Nagar is also a unique setting for this year’s ceremony as well. It is where the Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stands. The venue choice gives the event national and cultural heft but also shows that Gujarat is an emerging destination for major national events.
The location also has a symbolic link to one of the award winning works. A film about the Statue of Unity is among those being recognised at this year’s awards so it was especially appropriate that they chose to hold the ceremony close to the monument.
The 2026 ceremony will see filmmakers, actors, technicians and other artists from across India come together. It will honour outstanding achievement in Indian cinema for films released in 2024 (creative and technical contributions across categories).
Several big names from Indian cinema are expected to grace the ceremony. Article 370 has been announced as Best Feature Film and Yami Gautam is declared as Best Actress in a Leading Role for the same film. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan have been announced as joint winners of the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion respectively.
The awards also show the multilingual nature of Indian cinema. National Film Awards acknowledge films and artists working in many Indian languages and cinematic traditions. Diversity is one of the hallmarks of the awards (regional film industries get national recognition) and this is what makes it unique.
Moving the ceremony to different cities could strengthen that regional character even more. If the ceremony takes place in states outside Delhi audiences and film communities in other parts of India will be closer to the national awards; it may also bring local cultural landmarks into focus and give host states an opportunity to show what they have contributed to India’s creative industries.
The decision has still raised eyebrows in the film community because of Delhi being out of the equation. Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia has publicly asked why Gujarat was selected instead of other states with big film industries and reports say government hasn’t given any public explanation for venue choice yet.
At the same time, it is not unprecedented either. The National Film Awards have been held outside Delhi before (though rarely). The 17th National Film Awards ceremony was held in Madras (now Chennai) in 1970 for example.
The September 22 ceremony may therefore be the start of a broader trend: that the National Film Awards don’t stay tied to one place anymore, but travel across states and cities the national celebration of Indian cinema moves closer to regions.
For the film industry it could open up new possibilities for regional participation and visibility of India’s different cinematic cultures. For host cities the event might also be an opportunity to connect cinema with local heritage, tourism and cultural identity.
President Droupadi Murmu to Present 72nd #NationalFilmAwards at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat on September 22.
— DD News (@DDNewslive) September 8, 2026
National Film Awards to Go Beyond Delhi, Future Editions to be Held Across Different States and Cities@rashtrapatibhvn @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/iPcqNtBBdA
President Droupadi Murmu will present the honours at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Ekta Nagar but Indian film industry and audiences across the country will watch it closely too. A national ceremony with a landmark venue and a new approach to hosting future editions this year’s event is special enough already.
The September 22 ceremony is therefore not just another edition of the National Film Awards. It is a potential new beginning for them one in which India’s biggest celebration of cinematic excellence could travel beyond Delhi and be hosted by different states and cities across the country.
