Triumph of Cinema: Article 370, Mammootty, and Kartik Aaryan Sweep the 72nd National Film Awards

The annual announcement of the National Film Awards stands as the most definitive benchmark of artistic excellence within the diverse Indian cinematic landscape. The jury for the 72nd National Film Awards officially unveiled the highly anticipated winners list in New Delhi, celebrating the finest cinematic achievements across multiple regional languages. In a spectacular validation of political and historical storytelling, the intense drama Article 370 emerged as the definitive champion of the event, taking home the coveted title of Best Feature Film and anchoring a night filled with emotional milestones for mainstream Indian actors.  

The highly competitive acting categories delivered historic moments and shared honors that perfectly highlighted the cross-industry talent pool. In the Best Actor in a Leading Role category, the jury chose to jointly honor Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan for his highly transformative, physically grueling portrayal of an athlete in Chandu Champion, alongside the legendary Malayalam megastar Mammootty, who delivered a chilling masterclass in acting within the black-and-white horror-thriller Bramayugam. While this marks Kartik Aaryan’s maiden National Award win in his career, it represents a monumental fourth National Award triumph for Mammootty, breaking a lengthy quarter-century hiatus for the veteran star.  

The celebration multiplied significantly for the Article 370 creative team as mainstream actress Yami Gautam secured her very first National Film Award for Best Actress. Her nuanced, powerful performance as an intelligence officer navigating high-stakes geopolitical maneuvers resonated deeply with both the jury and the national audience. The film's musical composer, Shashwat Sachdev, further amplified the production house's historic sweep by claiming the prestigious award for Best Music Direction for Songs.  

Beyond the primary headlines, filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy was officially crowned Best Director for his exceptional biographical war drama Amaran, a film that also earned GV Prakash Kumar the award for Best Background Score. In the supporting acting echelons, veteran performer Sanjay Mishra clinched the Best Supporting Actor title for his grounded portrayal in Bhakshak. Meanwhile, the Best Supporting Actress honor was shared between Ropashree Varkady for her role in the Kannada feature Mithya and Sachana Namidass for her breakout performance in the Tamil thriller Maharaja.  

Commercial blockbusters and technically sophisticated pan-Indian projects also secured significant national recognition from the central jury. The sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD was officially designated as the Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, showcasing the growing institutional appreciation for high-concept genre cinema in India. Furthermore, creative director Sukumar took home the award for Best Original Screenplay for his work on the high-octane action sequel Pushpa 2: The Rule, while the period action epic Captain Miller was honored as the Best Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values.  

In the highly competitive regional categories, Srikanth won the title of Best Hindi Film, and the critically acclaimed project Raayan secured the title of Best Tamil Film. The 72nd edition of these awards has effectively highlighted a major shift toward high-narrative conviction, proving that grounded, culturally resonant stories are dominating the creative space. As the winners celebrate their career-defining achievements, this comprehensive list sets an incredibly high creative benchmark for the upcoming generations of Indian filmmakers and performers across all regional language industries.