National Film Awards 2026 winners to be announced today… Mammootty, Sai Pallavi among names generating major buzz

The wait is finally coming to an end for Indian cinema lovers as the 72nd National Film Awards winners are set to be announced on Friday, July 3, 2026. The prestigious honours celebrate the finest Indian films certified during 2024, recognising excellence across feature films, non-feature films, performances, direction, music, writing and technical achievements.

Unlike many popular award ceremonies, the National Film Awards do not release a nominations list in advance. Instead, the winners are announced directly by the jury, making the event one of the most anticipated moments in the Indian film industry.

Where to watch the announcement

The official announcement is expected to take place on Friday evening. While the exact timing had not been officially confirmed at the time of writing, viewers can follow updates through the official platforms of PIB India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and DD News, where the complete list of winners is expected to be released.

The announcement of the winners will be followed by a formal award presentation ceremony in New Delhi at a later date.

Jayaraj leads the jury

This year’s awards have been decided by an 11-member jury headed by acclaimed filmmaker Jayaraj.

Having previously served on the National Film Awards jury, Jayaraj and his team evaluated entries submitted from across the country before selecting the winners in various categories.

Malayalam cinema enjoys strong momentum

Following an impressive year at the box office and among critics, Malayalam cinema is expected to feature prominently in this year’s awards.

Films such as Bramayugam, Manjummel Boys, and Kishkindha Kaandam have generated considerable appreciation, while Mammootty’s performance in Bramayugam has emerged as one of the most talked-about acting performances of the year.

Competition remains intense across industries

The competition extends well beyond Malayalam cinema.

From Hindi cinema, films including Article 370, Srikanth, and Chandu Champion have attracted significant attention for both performances and storytelling.

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Meanwhile, Tamil cinema enters the race with acclaimed titles like Maharaja, Meiyazhagan, and Amaran.

The Telugu film industry is also expected to make a strong impact through films such as Kalki 2898 AD, Lucky Baskhar, and Devara: Part 1, particularly in technical and performance-based categories.

Acting honours remain the biggest attraction

As always, the acting categories are among the most eagerly awaited.

Although the National Film Awards do not officially publish nominees, several performances have generated widespread discussion among audiences and industry observers.

Actors including Mammootty, Sivakarthikeyan, Vijay Sethupathi, Karthi, and actress Sai Pallavi are among the names widely expected to be in contention based on public speculation.

However, since the awards follow a confidential selection process, the final winners will only be known once the official announcement is made.

With Indian cinema delivering a diverse range of stories across multiple languages in 2024, this year’s National Film Awards are expected to celebrate some of the industry’s finest achievements in storytelling, performance and technical excellence.