The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards were announced on Saturday, with Bollywood registering a strong presence across some of the biggest categories. From Rajkummar Rao's Srikanth and Kartik Aaryan's Chandu Champion to Yami Gautam's Article 370, Hindi cinema had plenty to celebrate at this year's prestigious awards.
Leading Bollywood's victories was Rajkummar Rao's Srikanth, which won the Best Film award. Based on the life of industrialist Srikanth Bolla, the biographical drama received widespread appreciation for its inspiring story and Rajkummar's performance, making it one of the biggest Hindi film winners of the year.
One of the biggest highlights of the ceremony was Kartik Aaryan, who won the Best Actor award for his performance in Chandu Champion. He shared the honour with Malayalam superstar Mammootty for Bramayugam. The National Award marks Kartik's first and adds another milestone to his career after earning praise for portraying Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar.
Yami Gautam also had a memorable evening as she won the Best Actress award for her performance in Article 370. Her portrayal of intelligence officer Zooni Haksar received critical acclaim, making it one of the most celebrated performances of the year.
Randeep Hooda added another major achievement to his career by winning the Best Debut Director award for Swatantryaveer Savarkar. The film, which also saw him step into the roles of actor and co-writer, marked his directorial debut. Reacting to the honour, Hooda said the recognition was a moment he was "still trying to process" and dedicated the award to his entire team, adding that he hopes the film inspires younger generations to learn more about Veer Savarkar's legacy.
Apart from the top acting honours, veteran actor Sanjay Mishra was recognised with the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance. Renowned choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant won the Best Choreography award for Aaj Ki Raatfrom Stree 2, one of the year's biggest chartbusters. Actor-filmmaker Dhanush also had a successful outing, receiving a Special Mention for his performance, while Raayan was honoured as the Best Tamil Film.
The awards also recognised several artists and technicians across categories including music, cinematography, editing, sound and costume design, celebrating excellence across every aspect of filmmaking. The 72nd National Film Awards once again honoured the finest talent from Indian cinema, with Bollywood delivering an impressive showing through its films, performances and creative achievements.
