72nd National Film Awards: Rajkummar Rao's Srikanth Named Best Hindi Film, Full Winners List

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting officially announced the winners of the 72nd National Film Awards on Saturday, July 18, 2026. This prestigious ceremony, which recognizes excellence in Indian cinema, highlighted the best cinematic achievements from the period of January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. The announcement was broadcast live by PIB India on their YouTube channel, allowing film enthusiasts across the nation to witness the celebration of talent in both feature and non-feature film categories.

Major Highlights and Top Honors

In a significant victory for biographical cinema, the film Srikanth, starring Rajkummar Rao, was adjudged the Best Hindi Film. The movie, which depicts the inspiring journey of industrialist Srikanth Bolla, resonated deeply with the jury. Meanwhile, the high-octane political drama Article 370 was honored as the Best Feature Film, further cementing its impact on the national stage. The lead actress of Article 370, Yami Gautam, received the Best Actress award for her powerful portrayal in the film.

The Best Actor category saw a unique tie between two powerhouse performers from different industries, while south Indian megastar Mammootty and Bollywood sensation Kartik Aaryan were both conferred with the Best Actor award for their respective outstanding performances. In the directorial department, Rajkumar Periasamy was named Best Director for his exceptional work on the film Amaran.

Recognition for Film Criticism and Writing

This year, the National Awards also placed a special emphasis on film criticism and literature related to cinema. Out of 24 entries received across various languages for film and cinema writing, Sanjeev Srivastava, Assistant Editor at TV9 and a renowned film critic, emerged victorious. He was honored with the National Award for Best Film Critic (Hindi) for his insightful contributions to cinematic analysis.

Comprehensive List of Winners

The 72nd National Film Awards recognized talent across various technical and regional categories.

• Best Hindi Film: Srikanth
• Best Feature Film: Article 370
• Best Actor: Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan
• Best Actress: Yami Gautam
• Best Director: Rajkumar Periasamy (Amaran)
• Best Supporting Actor: Sanjay Mishra (Bhakshak)
• Best Supporting Actress: Roopashree Varkady (Mithya) and Sachna Namidas (Maharaja)
• Best Entertaining Film: Kalki 2898 AD
• Best Cinematography: Shehnad Jalal (Bramayugam)
• Best Choreography: Vijay Ganguly (Song 'Aaj Ki Raat' from Stree 2)
• Best Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir (Song 'Jaane Do')
• Best Music Direction: Shashwat Sachdev (Article 370)
• Best Costume: Deepavali Noor and Sheetal Kumar (Pushpa 2)
• Best Makeup: P Ravi Kumar (Committee Kurrollu)
• Best Production Design: Nitin Chaudhary (Kalki 2898 AD)
• Best Screenplay Writer: Bandreddi Sukumar (Pushpa 2)
• Best Sound Design: Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3
• Best Dialogue Writer: Venky Atluri (Lucky Bhaskar)
• Best Film Critic: Sanjeev Srivastava

Regional Film Awards

The awards also celebrated the diversity of Indian regional cinema with the following winners:

• Best Kannada Film: Mithya
• Best Tamil Film: Raayan
• Best Tulu Film: Imbu
• Best Telugu Film: Committee Kurrollu
• Best Marathi Film: Mukkum Post Bombilwali
• Best Malayalam Film: Feminichi Fatima
• Best Odia Film: Lahari
• Best Gujarati Film: Maran
• Best Konkani Film: Mog Asum
• Best Manipuri Film: Sunita

Special Mentions and Jury Awards

The jury also recognized several films and artists through special mentions and jury awards for their unique contributions:

• Special Mention Award: Meiyazhagan
• Special Jury Mention Award: Chola Dora Aur Sui
• Special Jury Mention Award: Bhadra Kali Natakam

The 72nd National Film Awards have once again showcased the vibrant and diverse landscape of Indian cinema, honoring both established stars and emerging talents who have contributed Importantly to the art of filmmaking in 2024.