National Film Awards 2026: Complete Highlights and Major Winners
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7/19/20261 min read
The National Film Awards 2026 celebrated the best talent and outstanding work in Indian cinema. The 72nd National Film Awards recognised excellence in feature films, non-feature films, acting, direction, music, writing and other technical categories.
The awards honoured films certified during the year 2024 and highlighted the rich diversity of Indian cinema. Films from different languages and regions received recognition, showing the strength and variety of India's film industry.
Major Winners of National Film Awards 2026
Best Feature Film
Article 370 won the award for Best Feature Film. The film received recognition for its subject and strong presentation.
Best Actor
The Best Actor award was jointly won by Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion and Mammootty for Bramayugam. Their performances were recognised among the year's finest acting performances.
Best Actress
Yami Gautam won the Best Actress award for her performance in Article 370. This was an important achievement in her career.
Best Director
Rajkumar Periasamy won the award for Best Director for the film Amaran.
Best Hindi Film
Srikanth was honoured as the Best Hindi Film. The film is based on the inspiring life of entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla and highlights the importance of determination and courage.
Recognition of Regional Cinema
The National Film Awards also recognised films made in several Indian languages. Awards were given to films from languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and other regional languages.
This recognition shows that Indian cinema is not limited to one language or one film industry. Regional films continue to tell unique stories and make an important contribution to Indian cinema.
Important Technical and Creative Awards
The 2026 National Film Awards also recognised excellence in several technical and creative fields. Awards were given for screenplay, music direction, background music, lyrics, cinematography, editing, sound design, choreography, costume design and production design.
These awards highlight the contribution of the many people who work behind the camera to make a film successful.
Why the National Film Awards Are Important
The National Film Awards are among India's most respected film honours. They recognise films and artists for their quality, creativity and contribution to Indian cinema.
The awards also help bring attention to meaningful stories, regional cinema and talented artists from different parts of the country. By honouring excellence in different categories, the awards encourage filmmakers and artists to continue producing high-quality work.