72nd National Film Awards 2026 winners announced: Check the full list of winners

The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi on Saturday with Article 370 emerging as the Best Film and Kartik Aaryan, Mammootty, Yami Gautam, Sanjay Mishra, Ropashree Varkady and Sachana Namidass. The film jury was chaired by Malayalam filmmaker Jayaraj who announced the awards for film certified by CBFC between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Rajkumar Periasamy (Best Director), Kalki 2898 AD (Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment), Srikanth (Best Hindi Film) and Captain Miller (Best Film Promoting National, Social Values) were among the winners as well.

Best Actress: Yami Gautam, Article 370

Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy, Amaran

Best Supporting Actress: Ropashree Varkady for Mithya, Sachana Namidass for Maharaja

Best Supporting Actor: Sanjay Mishra, Bhakshak

Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD

Best Film Promoting National, Social Values: Captain Miller

Best Child Artist: Riddhiman Banerjee, Tapomoy Deb, Gitashree Chakraborty, Arundev Pothula, Athish S Shetty

Best Cinematography: Shehnad Jalaal, Bramayugam

Best Screenplay: Sukumar, Pushpa 2

Best Dialogue Writer: Venky Atluri, Lucky Baskhar

Best Production Design: Nitin Zihani Choudhary, Kalki 2898 AD

Best Action Direction: Anl Arasu, Maharaja

Best Make-Up Artist: P Ravi Kumar, Committee Kurrollu

Best Costume Designer: Deepali Noor & Sheetal Sharma, Pushpa 2

Best Music Direction for Songs: Shashwat Sachdev, Article 370

Best Background Music: GV Prakash, Amaran

Best Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Maidaan

Best Male Playback Singer: Abhay Jodhpurkar, Gharat Ganpati from Navasachi Gauri Mazi

Best Female Playback Singer: Vaikom Vijayalakshmi for Angu Vaana Konilu from ARM

Best Choreography: Vijay Ganguly, Stree 2

Best Sound Design: Manas Choudhury, Bhool Bhulaiya 3

Best Editing: R Kalaivannan, Amaran

Best Assamese Film: Juiphool

Best Bengali Film: Chalchitra Ekhon

Best Hindi Film: Srikanth

Best Kannada Film: Mithya

Best Malayalam Film: Feminichi Fathima

Best Marathi Film: Mukkam Post Bombilwadi

Best Odia Film: Lahari

Best Tamil Film: Raayan

Best Garhwali Film: Dholi

Best Telugu Film: Committee Kurrollu

Best Gujarati Film: Maaran

Best Manipuri Film: Sunita

Best Konakani Film: Mog Asum

Best Tulu Film: IMBU

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Special Mention: Dhanush for Captain Miller and Suren G for Meiyazhagan,

Non-feature categories

Best Film Critic – Sanjeev Shrivastava (Hindi)

Best Book on Cinema –  Naaniruvude Nimagaagi Naadiruvude Nanagaagi: Kannada Cinemada Thathva Matthu Rajakeeya (I Stand for You, the State Stands for Us: Political and Philosophical Dimensions of Kannada Cinema) by Kenchanuru Pradeep Kumar Shetty

Special Mention – Bhadra-Kali Natakam (Bhadra – The Dance of Kali) (Malayalam) – Director: Ananda Jyothi (Jose Antony)

Special Mention – Chola Dora aur Sui (Hindi) – Directors: Jaymin Modi & Lokesh Ghai

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Best Narrator/Voice Over – Soundarya Jayachandran – Little Planet: A Tale of Frogs (English)

Best Music Direction Shivpal Singh Kang – Parat 41°chya Magavar (On the Trail of 41°) (Marathi)

Best Editing Manvir Jasrotia – NDA (Hindi)

Best Sound Design T S Hari Hara Sudhan – Blue (Tamil)

Best Cinematography Edmond Ranson – Life in Loom (English, Tamil, Hindi, Assamese & Bengali)

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Best Direction Aanand L Rai – Statue of Unity – Ekta ka Prateek (Hindi)

Best Short Film (Up to 30 Minutes) – Hamsafar (Marathi) – Producer: Anushka Motion Pictures & Entertainments; Director: Abhijeet Arvind Dalvi

Best Animation Film Touched as Water (Silent) – Producer: JB Productions; Director & Animator: Joshy Benedict

Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values Piplantri: A Tale of Eco Feminism (Hindi, Rajasthani & English) – Producer: Johnsons Suraj Films International; Director: Suraj Kumar

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Best Documentary Ram-Nami (Hindi) – Producer: BBP Studio Virtual Bharat Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Bharatbala Ganapathy

Best Arts/Culture Film Main Nida (Hindi) – Producer: Sampreshan Multimedia Pvt. Ltd.; Director: Atul Pandey

Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film Kakori (Hindi) – Producer: KSR Brothers & Minti Mishra; Director: Kamlesh K Mishra

Best Debut Film of a Director  – Angen (Invisible) (Santhali) – Director: Ravi Raj Murmu

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Best Non-Feature Film – Bhangaar (Obsolete) (Marathi & English) – Producer & Director: Sumira Roy