For the first time in more than seven decades, India’s National Film Awards ceremony will step out of Delhi, with the 72nd edition set to be held against the imposing backdrop of Gujarat’s Statue of Unity (SoU) on September 22.

Gujarat is set to host one of Indian cinema’s most prestigious ceremonies for the first time as President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards to 92 winners at the foot of the world’s tallest statue.

Preparations for the high-profile ceremony are underway at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district, where authorities are planning a specially constructed venue to accommodate the President, award winners and nearly 1,000 guests.

A release issued by the Narmada district administration on Monday stated that a German aluminium structural dome will be erected in the Bus Bay area of the Statue of Unity complex for the ceremony. The temporary venue will be equipped with seating and other infrastructure required for a national event involving senior dignitaries and some of the most prominent names in Indian cinema.

The ceremony is expected to last around 75 minutes, according to the Gujarat government.

With the President scheduled to attend, the event will require elaborate security and protocol arrangements. Narmada Collector Ganga Singh recently chaired a meeting to review preparations, with officials discussing security, venue management, protocol requirements and arrangements for the arrival and departure of dignitaries.

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The district administration and the Gujarat government are coordinating preparations for what will be one of the most prominent national events organised at the Statue of Unity precinct.

The choice of Ekta Nagar marks a significant departure for the National Film Awards, which have for decades been presented in Delhi. The move also brings one of India’s most important cultural ceremonies to a destination that has increasingly been positioned as a venue for major national and international events.

The September 22 ceremony will honour winners of the 72nd National Film Awards, recognising achievements in Indian cinema for films released in 2024.

The winners were announced by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in July. ‘Article 370’ won the Best Feature Film award, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘Bramayugam’ and ‘Chandu Champion’, respectively.

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Among other major honours, ‘Bhangaar’ was named Best Non-Feature Film and ‘Ram-Nami’ won the award for Best Documentary. Randeep Hooda received the Best Debut Director award for ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar’, while several commercially successful films, including ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, ‘Amaran’, ‘Pushpa: The Rule Part-02’ and ‘Stree 2’, were also among those recognised across categories.

The National Film Awards recognise achievements across feature films, non-feature films and writings on cinema, bringing together winners from India’s diverse linguistic and regional film industries.

For Gujarat, however, the ceremony carries significance beyond the awards themselves. Hosting the event gives the SoU – already one of the country’s most recognisable modern landmarks – a new cultural role. Officials say that the ceremony will “pave the way for bigger events in the future as suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Vadodara a few months ago.” The officer was referring to PM Modi urging the Patidar communities of Gujarat to “organise destination weddings” at SoU, instead of choosing international destinations in wake of the ongoing Middle-East conflict and the economic pressure on countries.

The release from Narmada district administration further said, “The national ceremony, to be held against the spectacular backdrop of the world-famous Statue of Unity, is expected to give Narmada district another distinctive identity at the national and international levels. The opportunity for Gujarat, and particularly Ekta Nagar-Kevadia, to host one of India’s most prestigious film award ceremonies is being seen as a matter of pride for the entire state… The convergence of three elements– the dignified presence of the President of India, leading personalities from the Indian film industry and the global identity of the Statue of Unity– is expected to make the ceremony at Kevadia a memorable and historic occasion. The Gujarat government and the Narmada district administration are making coordinated preparations to ensure that the landmark event is conducted with grandeur, discipline and complete dignity.”