72nd National Film Awards: Article 370 bags best feature film, Mammootty gets best actor award
Bollywood film Article 370, based on the events surrounding the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019, was named the best feature film
Bollywood film Article 370, based on the events surrounding the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019, was named the best feature film at the 72ndNational Film Awards on Saturday (July 18, 2026). Announcing the awards, chairman of the central jury Jayaraj said Telugu movie Kalki 2898 AD bagged the trophy for the best popular film. 72nd Film Awards highlights Malayalam superstar Mammootty won his fourth Film Award for best actor for his performance in Bramayugam, sharing the honour with Kartik Aaryan, who was recognised for Chandu Champion.
Mammootty had previously won the best actor award for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Mathilukal (1989), Ponthan Mada and Vidheyan (1994), and Dr. Ambedkar (1999). Yami Gautam Dhar was named best actress for her performance in Article 370. Rajkumar Periasamy won the best director award for Amaran, a biographical war movie starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi. The film chronicles the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, an officer of the Indian Army’s Rajput Regiment, who was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra. Music composer G.V. Prakash Kumar won the best music director award for his background score in Amaran.
Randeep Hooda won the best debutant director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. The biographical drama chronicles the life of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, tracing his early revolutionary activities and the torture he endured in the Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands. The acclaimed Tamil slice-of-life drama Meiyazhagan received a Special Mention for its sound mixing. Directed by C. Prem Kumar, the film stars Karthi and Arvind Swamy in the lead roles. Pushpa 2, starring Allu Arjun, won two awards as Deepali Noor and Sheetal Sharma received the best costume design award, while director Sukumar was honoured with the best screenplay.
Actor Dhanush received a Special Mention for his performance in Tamil film Captain Miller. Satirical drama Feminichi Fathima was named the best Malayalam film. The movie critiques the patriarchal and religious constraints imposed on women. Mithya won the award for best Kannada film, while Raayan, directed by Dhanush and produced by Sun Pictures, was named the best Tamil film.
The BriefWire