Cinema VinesThe 72nd National Film Awards, announced on July 18 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi after a two‑week delay, saw South Indian cinema dominate the ceremony. Films from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada industries captured a wide array of honours, underscoring the region’s continued influence on Indian cinema.
Malayalam legend Mammootty secured his fourth National Film Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role with his performance in Bramayugam. The award marked a significant milestone in the actor’s career, adding to his already illustrious record. In the same category, Tamil star Sivakarthikeyan’s Amaran and Dhanush’s Raayan emerged as prominent winners, further cementing Tamil cinema’s presence at the awards.
Other major recognitions included Best Actress in a Supporting Role awarded to Roopashree Varkady for Mithya (Kannada) and Sachana Namidass for Maharaja (Tamil). Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Direction for Amaran, while Dhanush received a Special Mention for his work in Captain Miller. Sound engineer Suren was also honoured with a Special Mention for his contribution to Meiyazhagan (Tamil).
The awards highlighted regional film achievements: Best Telugu Film went to Committee Kurrollu, Best Tamil Film to Raayan, Best Malayalam Film to Feminichi Fathima, and Best Kannada Film to Mithya. Additional accolades included Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values for Captain Miller (Tamil) and Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment for Kalki 2898 AD (Telugu).
Technical categories saw a spread of talent: Best Action Direction was awarded to Anl Arasu for Maharaja (Tamil); Best Music Direction for Background Music went to GV Prakash Kumar for Amaran (Tamil); Best Make‑up was credited to P Ravi Kumar for Committee Kurrollu (Telugu); and Best Costume Designer was shared by Deepali Noor and Sheetal Sharma for Pushpa 2: The Rule (Telugu). Production design, editing, dialogue writing, screenplay, cinematography, and playback singing recognitions were also distributed among notable films such as Kalki 2898 AD, Lucky Baskhar, Pushpa 2: The Rule, and Bramayugam (Malayalam).
Children’s cinema was not overlooked, with the Best Child Artist awards going to Arundev Pothula for 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu (Kannada) and Athish S Shetty for Mithya, while the Best Children’s Film accolade was awarded to 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu. These recognitions reflect the awards’ commitment to celebrating diverse storytelling across all age groups.
