The 72nd National Film Awards 2026 have put Article 370, Mammootty, Kartik Aaryan and Yami Gautam at the centre of India’s biggest annual film honours, while Amaran and Kalki 2898 AD also secured major recognition.
The awards were announced on July 18 for films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification during 2024. The results brought together mainstream Hindi cinema, Malayalam filmmaking, Tamil cinema and large-scale commercial productions.
Article 370 emerged as the biggest winner among feature films. It won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam received the Best Actress award for her performance in the film. Shashwat Sachdev also won Best Music Direction for the film’s songs and background score.
The acting honours produced one of the evening’s biggest talking points. Mammootty won Best Actor for Bramayugam, sharing the award with Kartik Aaryan, who was recognised for Chandu Champion.
72nd National Film Awards 2026 honour different generations
The Best Actor result brought together two performers from very different stages of their careers.Mammootty’s win adds another National Film Award to one of the longest careers in Indian cinema.
His performance in Bramayugam drew attention for its dark and restrained portrayal of a powerful character.Kartik Aaryan received the honour for Chandu Champion.
The film follows the journey of a sportsperson who faces major physical and personal challenges.The joint award also reflects the range of performances recognised by the jury.
The two actors worked in very different films, yet both performances received the same national honour.
Yami Gautam wins Best Actress for Article 370
Yami Gautam won Best Actress for her role in Article 370. She played a central character in the political thriller, which focuses on events surrounding the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
The film also won Best Feature Film. That combination made Article 370 one of the most prominent winners at the National Film Awards 2026.
The film’s recognition is likely to attract discussion because it deals with a politically sensitive subject. Its awards success reflects the jury’s assessment of the film’s overall filmmaking and performances.
Amaran leads the regional cinema winners
Tamil film Amaran secured three major awards at the 72nd National Film Awards 2026.
Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Director for the film. G.V. Prakash Kumar received the award for Best Music Direction for Background Score, while R. Kalaivanan won Best Editing.
The film stars Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi. Its multiple awards highlight the contribution of direction, music and editing to a film’s final impact.The result also underlines the continued strength of regional cinema at the National Film Awards.
Tamil and Malayalam films featured prominently among the major honours this year.
Kalki 2898 AD wins popular entertainment award
Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD won the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
The film combined science fiction, mythology and large-scale production design. Its award recognises a different aspect of filmmaking from the awards given for acting, direction or screenplay.The film also received recognition in technical categories.
Its success reflects the growing scale and ambition of Indian commercial cinema.
Srikanth wins Best Hindi Feature Film
Rajkummar Rao-starrer Srikanth won the award for Best Hindi Feature Film.
Directed by Tushar Hiranandani, the film tells the story of industrialist Srikanth Bolla, who was born visually impaired and later built a successful business career.
The award gives the film recognition beyond its lead performance. It also places a biographical story about disability and ambition among the year’s most recognised Hindi-language productions.
The win adds another major honour to a film that focused on overcoming barriers in education, business and public life.
National Film Awards 2026 reflect India’s multilingual cinema
The 72nd National Film Awards winners represent several major Indian film industries.
Malayalam cinema received major recognition through Mammootty’s acting award and the success of Bramayugam. Tamil cinema gained multiple honours through Amaran. Hindi cinema featured strongly through Article 370, Chandu Champion and Srikanth.
The awards also recognised work in categories that often receive less attention from mainstream audiences. Editing, sound, music, screenplay and production design all play a major role in shaping a film.
That wider recognition remains one of the defining features of India’s national film awards. The ceremony does not judge cinema only through box-office earnings or celebrity popularity.
Why the 72nd National Film Awards matter
The awards provide a yearly record of the films and performances that receive the country’s highest official recognition for cinema.
This year’s results also show how Indian cinema continues to operate across multiple languages and industries. A Hindi political drama, a Malayalam period horror film, a Tamil military biographical drama and a large-scale science-fiction production all found space among the major winners.
The choices will also invite debate, as film awards always do. Audiences and critics may disagree with individual results, but the winners will now become part of the official record of Indian cinema for films certified in 2024.
The next stage will be the formal presentation of the honours. For the winners, the awards will bring another level of recognition to films that reached audiences across different parts of India. For the industry, the National Film Awards 2026 have once again highlighted the growing range of stories, performances and filmmaking styles competing for national attention.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
