The 72nd National Film Awards – Who Dominated and Who Surprised?

The 72nd National Film Awards – Who Dominated and Who Surprised?

The 72nd National Film Awards – Who Dominated and Who Surprised? The 72nd National Film Awards announcements have officially shaken up the Indian entertainment landscape. Recognizing the finest cinematic works, this year's jury had a monumental task sorting through hundreds of entries across languages.

While political thrillers, gripping biopics, and pan-India sci-fi blockbusters walked away with top honors, the winners' list also delivered some massive surprises—and a few glaring snubs that have the internet buzzing. Let's break down who ruled the night.

Article 370 Sweeps the Board

The Political Drama Takes the Crown
The Big Win: Article 370 emerged as the Best Feature Film, cementing its dominance at the ceremony.

Yami's Maiden Win: Lead star Yami Gautam bagged her very first National Award for Best Actress, delivering a career-defining performance as an intelligence officer.

The Takeaway: Produced by Aditya Dhar, the film also picked up Best Music Direction for Shashwat Sachdev, proving that high-stakes political narratives continue to hold immense favor with national juries.

The Best Actor Clash

Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty Share the Glory
The Winners: In a major talking point of the evening, the Best Actor award was jointly shared by Bollywood's Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) and Mollywood legend Mammootty (Bramayugam).

The Significance: Kartik earned his maiden National Award for transforming into Paralympic gold medalist Murlikant Petkar. Meanwhile, Malayalam superstar Mammootty added another feather to his historic cap, securing his fourth Best Actor National Award for his haunting, monochrome performance in the horror-thriller Bramayugam.

South Cinema Shines Bright

Amaran, Kalki 2898 AD & Regional Powerhouses
Director Honors: Rajkumar Periasamy walked away with Best Director for the Tamil biographical war drama Amaran, which also scored multiple technical wins (including Best Background Music for G.V. Prakash Kumar).

Wholesome Entertainment: Nag Ashwin's sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD took home the award for Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, alongside Best Production Design.

Regional Excellence: Tamil star Dhanush earned a Special Mention for Captain Miller, while his directorial venture Raayan was named Best Tamil Film.

The Surprises & Snubs

Who Was Left Out in the Cold?
While the winners celebrated, social media immediately picked up on the notable absences:

The Critical Darlings Missed: Critically acclaimed masterpieces like All We Imagine As Light, Laapataa Ladies, and Manjummel Boys—which dominated conversations and box office charts throughout the year—largely missed out on the top major category wins.

The Randeep Hooda Milestone: Actor-filmmaker Randeep Hooda pulled off a massive personal victory, winning Best Debut Director for his passionate, hard-fought project Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, validating years of personal struggle to bring the film to life.

Supporting Excellence

Powerhouse Performances Get Their Due
Best Supporting Actor: Veteran actor Sanjay Mishra claimed the honor for his moving, gritty performance in Bhakshak, a crime drama centered on a journalist exposing shelter home abuses.

Best Supporting Actress (Shared): In a tie, regional talents Ropashree Varkady (Mithya) and Sachana Namidass (Maharaja) shared the trophy, highlighting the phenomenal depth of supporting female acts across Indian regional storytelling this year.

Conclusion

A Balanced Reflection of Indian Cinema
The 72nd National Film Awards proved once again that Indian cinema is a complex beast—balancing hard-hitting political narratives, massive pan-India spectacles, and gritty regional dramas. While some fanbases were left questioning why certain critical darlings were overlooked, the triumph of veterans like Mammootty alongside newer stars like Kartik Aaryan and Yami Gautam showcases an industry in transition.