72nd National Film Awards 2026 Winners LIVE Updates: Mammootty, Yami Gautam emerge as favourites

The 72nd National Film Awards will be announced on July 18, 2026.

The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards are being announced in New Delhi on Saturday July 18, 2026. For these awards, films that received their certification from CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, are considered eligible. The 11-member jury is headed by filmmaker Jayaraj.

2024 was a marvellous year for Indian movies, with films like All We Imagine As Light and Laapataa Ladies winning accolades internationally. Mammootty’s performance in Rahul Sadasivan’s Bramayugam left his fans in awe, and Allu Arjun returning to play the eponymous character in Pushpa 2 packed theatres. Allu Arjun has previously won a Best Actor award at the National Film Awards for his work in the first part of the film.

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Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life, which was one of the most hyped films of the year, saw the actor undergo a massive transformation for the role. And for Hindi film Chandu Champion, directed by Kabir Khan, Kartik Aaryan was praised by the critics for his dedication to the role.

Yami Gautam’s work in Article 370 received praise, along with Shraddha Kapoor’s work in Stree 2. Both these actors’ ability to carry a film on their shoulders was not ignored, and they were, in fact, praised for their star power. Alia Bhatt’s Jigra did not get much support upon its release but the actor’s work was appreciated. Sai Pallavi (Amaran) and Kani Kusruti (All We Imagine As Light and Girls Will Be Girls) delivered standout performances.

Relatively smaller titles like Manjummel Boys, Premalu, Hanu Man made a massive dent at the box office, with films not backed by massive studios managing to reach nationwide audiences.

Films like Meiyazhagan, Kottukkaali, Aavesham, Kishkindha Kaandam, Vaazhai had a smaller audience upon their release, but with strong word of mouth, they reached a niche audience and left a lasting impact. Titles like Marco, Kill, Madgaon Express. Shaitaan, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, also received praise from ardent fans.

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