National Film Awards to be Held in Gujarat, Not Delhi; Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Shares Statement

For years, the National Film Awards used to take place in Delhi. For the first time in its 72-year history, the ceremony will be held in Kevadia, Gujarat, with President Droupadi Murmu presenting the honours. According to an official statement shared by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the awards will take place in different parts of India henceforth. 

Here’s what the statement read.

72nd Edition of National Film Awards Set for Gujarat on Sept. 22

President to confer 72nd National Film Awards in Kevadia, Gujarat on September 22, 2025 The ceremony will bring together filmmakers, actors, technicians, and other artists from across the country to celebrate outstanding achievements in #IndianCinema for the year 2024. Read… — Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) September 8, 2026

On Monday, in a statement, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated, “In a major policy initiative, it has been decided by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to hold National Film Awards in various parts of the country, taking beyond National Capital. The ceremony at Ekta Nagar this year will bring together cinematic talent from across India, embodying the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.“

Credits: MIB/ Website

The 72nd edition is likely to be held in Kevadia, renamed as Ekta Nagar, in Gujarat. It is home to the world’s tallest statue, that of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Statue of Unity stands at 597 feet and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. 

The first National Awards in 1954 were held in Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan. After decades of tradition, the event goes beyond Delhi. Announced in July, the 72nd Edition of the National Film Awards will see “Article 370″ named the best feature film and its lead star Yami Gautam the best actress. Moreover, the Malayalam superstar Mammootty and Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan will share the best actor prize for their roles in “Bramayugam” and “Chandu Champion”, respectively.