India announces 72nd National Film Awards winners today

Winners set to be announced today

India’s 72nd National Film Awards, the country’s most prominent official film honours, are being unveiled on July 3. According to the Times of India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will broadcast the announcements live through its official X (formerly Twitter) handle and YouTube channel later in the evening, allowing audiences across the country to follow the results in real time. The awards cover films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) during the calendar year 2024, in keeping with the awards’ standard eligibility window.

How the jury is structured

The selection process for this edition was carried out by an 11-member jury headed by filmmaker Jayaraj, who has previously served on the National Film Awards jury, the Times of India reported. National Film Awards juries in India typically include filmmakers, critics and scholars drawn from across the country’s major film industries. The jury system is administered under the Directorate of Film Festivals, which operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. As is standard practice, the jury’s deliberations are conducted confidentially and no shortlists are released before the final announcement.

Films expected to feature in the race

This year’s honours are expected to feature intense competition across several language industries. According to the Times of India, Malayalam cinema has fielded strong contenders including “Bramayugam,” “Manjummel Boys” and “Kishkindha Kaandam,” all of which received widespread appreciation from audiences and critics. The Hindi film industry is represented by titles including “Article 370,” “Srikanth” and “Chandu Champion,” while Tamil cinema’s submissions include “Maharaja,” “Meiyazhagan” and “Amaran.” Telugu cinema’s entries include big-ticket releases such as “Kalki 2898 AD,” “Lucky Baskhar” and “Devara: Part 1.” The Times of India noted that these films had generated considerable expectations ahead of the announcement.

Actors widely tipped by fans and commentators

Although the National Film Awards do not publish an official list of nominees before announcing the winners, several performances have emerged as fan favourites. The Times of India identified Mammootty, Sivakarthikeyan, Vijay Sethupathi, Karthi and Sai Pallavi as widely expected contenders for the acting honours. Mammootty has been particularly backed for his performance in “Bramayugam,” while Prithviraj Sukumaran’s work in “The Goat Life” and Allu Arjun’s performances have also drawn strong support on social media, according to the Times of India.

Social media campaigns intensify

In the hours before the announcement, fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to campaign for their preferred nominees. The Times of India reported that a large section of users rooted for Mammootty to win Best Actor for “Bramayugam,” with one fan writing “All eyes on Mammootty today,” while another posted simply “Hope.” Supporters of Prithviraj Sukumaran wrote that they were “manifesting” a Best Actor win for “The Goat Life.” Allu Arjun’s backers also promoted his chances, citing his dedication to his craft. The outlet observed that the volume of responses reflects how emotionally invested audiences are in the awards.

Films and music generating online buzz

Beyond the acting categories, several films and songs have drawn strong fan campaigns. According to the Times of India, supporters of “Kalki 2898 AD” posted messages such as “Rooting for Kalki 2898 AD,” while Sai Pallavi’s fans backed her performance in “Amaran.” Devara supporters have argued that the song “Ayudha Pooja” deserves a National Award, calling it one of the best musical moments of the year. The Times of India noted that the engagement around these films illustrates how the awards function as a national conversation rather than a purely industry-facing event.

Background on the National Film Awards

The National Film Awards were instituted by the Government of India in 1954 as part of efforts to encourage the growth of Indian cinema and recognise excellence across regional language industries. The awards are presented annually by the President of India at a formal ceremony, typically held in New Delhi. Categories include feature films, non-feature films, and writing on cinema, with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award — India’s highest honour in cinema — presented as a lifetime achievement award at the same ceremony. The awards are distinct from popular film prizes such as the Filmfare Awards, which are given by a private publication.

Why the awards carry institutional weight

Because the National Film Awards are administered by the central government rather than a private body, winners receive a medal and a cash prize and are widely seen as an official endorsement of artistic merit. The awards also operate across all Indian languages recognised by the CBFC, which means films produced in regional industries such as Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi compete on the same platform. This structure has historically given the awards a role in shaping critical discourse around Indian cinema and in elevating films that may not have received wide commercial distribution.

How to watch the announcement

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is broadcasting the announcement live through its official X handle and YouTube channel later on the evening of July 3, according to the Times of India. Once announced, the Directorate of Film Festivals is expected to publish a complete winners’ list on its website. Indian readers can also expect coverage in major national newspapers, while international audiences can follow the results through wire services such as Reuters, Press Trust of India and Associated Press, which historically carry the official list once released.

Notable absences from the confirmed record

The provided sources do not contain the actual list of winners, since the announcements were scheduled for July 3 and the articles cited were published in advance of the ceremony. The article above is based on the Times of India’s reporting on the run-up to the awards, including jury composition, films in contention, and fan sentiment. No confirmed winner names are available from the supplied material. Readers seeking the full results should refer to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s official channels or the Directorate of Film Festivals’ website following the announcement.

What to watch next

The immediate next milestone is the live broadcast of the awards on the evening of July 3, after which the official winners’ list will be made public. Following that, attention will turn to the date of the formal awards ceremony, which is typically held several weeks after the announcement and is presided over by the President of India. Industry observers will also be watching for the regional distribution of awards, particularly the balance between Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu cinema, given the strong field identified by the Times of India ahead of the announcement.