The National Film Awards ceremony is set to leave New Delhi for the first time in decades, with the 72nd edition scheduled to be held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district on September 22.
The ceremony will mark a rare break from a tradition that has largely kept India’s premier national film awards in New Delhi. There has been at least one notable exception. The University Centenary Auditorium in Madras, now Chennai, hosted the 17th National Film Awards ceremony on November 21, 1970, Indian Express reported.
The Union government has not publicly stated the reasons behind the shift of venue. It is notable that among this year’s awardees is filmmaker Aanand L Rai, who won Best Direction in the non-feature category for Statue of Unity–Ekta ka Prateek, a film about the Gujarat landmark, the venue for the event.
Moreover, the change in venue comes amidst Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the Patidar community in Gujarat to consider organising destination weddings at the Statue of Unity rather than travelling abroad to boost the economy.
President Droupadi Murmu is expected to present the awards to 92 winners at a venue being set up near the Statue of Unity (SoU). Preparations are underway at the SoU complex, with the Gujarat government and Narmada district administration coordinating arrangements for the high-profile event. Nearly 1,000 guests, including award winners and senior dignitaries, are expected to attend the ceremony.
According to a release issued by the Narmada district administration on Monday, September 7, a temporary venue will be constructed in the bus bay area of the Statue of Unity complex. A German aluminium structural dome will be installed for the event, along with seating and other infrastructure.
The ceremony is expected to run for about 75 minutes. Officials are also working on security, protocol, venue management, and arrangements for the arrival and departure of dignitaries, given the President’s presence.
The move marks a departure from the National Film Awards’ long association with New Delhi. The awards, instituted in 1954, have predominantly been presented in the national capital. In recent years, the ceremony has generally been held at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, where the President has traditionally conferred the honours.
The 72nd National Film Awards recognise films released in 2024. The winners were announced by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in July.
Article 370 won the Best Feature Film award, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress for her performance in the film. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion, respectively.
Bhangaar was named Best Non-Feature Film and Ram-Nami won the Best Documentary award. Randeep Hooda received the Best Debut Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
Films including Kalki 2898 AD, Amaran, Pushpa: The Rule Part-02, and Stree 2 also received honours in various categories.
In its release, the Narmada administration described the event as an opportunity to raise the profile of Narmada district and Ekta Nagar-Kevadia nationally and internationally. It said the presence of the President, leading figures from the film industry and the Statue of Unity would make the occasion significant for Gujarat.