National Film Awards ceremony moves out of Delhi for Gujarat edition

The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be held on September 22 at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat, rather than in Delhi, where the event has traditionally taken place.

Actor Paresh Rawal defended the change, arguing that major national events should not be confined to the capital. “Events should be held in Gujarat too,” he said, adding that such occasions should take place in every state.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has said it intends to take the National Film Awards beyond Delhi and host them in different parts of the country. Instituted in 1954, the awards recognise feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema across Indian languages.

For Delhi, the shift means the annual ceremony will not be staged in the capital this year. The Gujarat event is set to honour winners including Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan, joint recipients of the Best Actor in a Leading Role award, and Yami Gautam, named Best Actress in a Leading Role.