72nd National Film Awards: ‘Article 370’ Crowned Best Feature Film
NEW DELHI: High-octane political dramas, poignant real-life biographies, and genre-bending experimental cinema dominated the 72nd National Film Awards announced on Saturday. The jury celebrated a diverse slate of cinematic achievements from the 2024 film calendar, honoring seasoned veterans alongside a bold new wave of filmmaking talent.
The biggest spotlight of the evening belonged to the Bollywood political thriller Article 370, which clinched the coveted title of Best Feature Film.
A Clean Sweep for ‘Article 370’ & A Historic Best Actor Tie
Article 370, a cinematic retelling of the events surrounding the 2019 abrogation of the constitutional provision, secured its place as the definitive film of the year. The film’s leading lady, Yami Gautam, was named Best Female Actor for her powerhouse performance, cementing the project’s dual triumph at the apex of Indian cinema.
Meanwhile, the race for the Best Male Actor culminated in a historic tie, bridging two distinct generations and cinematic styles:
- Mammootty’s Fourth Crown: Malayalam powerhouse Mammootty won his fourth National Film Award for his haunting performance in the black-and-white horror-drama Bramayugam. This victory adds to his legendary tally, following past wins for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Mathilukal (1989), Ponthan Mada and Vidheyan (1994), and Dr. Ambedkar (1999).
- Kartik Aaryan’s Maiden Glory: Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan shared the top acting honor, recognized for his career-defining, physically transformative portrayal of a sports hero in Chandu Champion.
Biopics and Debutants Take Center Stage
The technical and directorial categories threw a massive spotlight on biographical narratives:
- Directorial Excellence: Rajkumar Periasamy walked away with the Best Director trophy for Amaran, a Tamil biographical drama detailing the heroic life of Ashoka Chakra recipient Major Mukund Varadarajan.
- Musical Triumph: Renowned composer G.V. Prakash Kumar won Best Music Director for his atmospheric, emotionally resonant background score in Amaran.
- Sensational Debut: Actor-director Randeep Hooda won the Best Debutant Director award for his historical biopic Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
Blockbusters and Regional Titans Secure Massive Wins
Commercial juggernauts and critical darlings split the honors across regional categories, proving that Indian cinema is successfully balancing mass appeal with artistic depth.
| Film | Category / Award Won | Key Recipients |
| Kalki 2898 AD | Best Popular Film | Production Team / Director |
| Pushpa 2: The Rule | Best Screenplay & Best Costume Design | Sukumar (Screenplay), Deepali Noor & Sheetal Sharma (Costume) |
| Captain Miller | Best Film Promoting National, Social & Environmental Values | Film Crew (Special Mention for Dhanush for his performance) |
| Raayan | Best Tamil Film | Directed by Dhanush |
| Feminichi Fathima | Best Malayalam Film | Production Team |
| Mithya | Best Kannada Film | Production Team |
| Meiyazhagan | Special Mention | Sound Mixing Team |
Jury Applauds India’s “Fresh Visions”
Evaluating the massive influx of films proved to be a monumental task for the selection committee, reflecting a post-pandemic boom in creative experimentation across regional boards.
“Around 400 feature films in 34 languages, including Scheduled and non-Scheduled languages, were considered. It was a huge task because many young filmmakers came up with different experiments and fresh visions.”
— Jayaraj, Acclaimed Filmmaker and Chairperson of the Feature Film Jury