Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has backed the decision to move the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony from Delhi to Gujarat, saying there is no reason why a major national event should always be hosted in the capital.
The National Film Awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on September 22 at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Kevadia. The decision to take the prestigious event outside Delhi has sparked discussion in the film industry, with some questioning the departure from the traditional venue.
Responding to the criticism, Rawal said Gujarat is an integral part of India and should have the same opportunity to host important national events.
“Is Gujarat in Bangladesh or Pakistan? It is also a part of our own country. Why shouldn’t this event be held in Gujarat?” Rawal said while speaking to ANI.
He added that such ceremonies should not remain restricted to one city and argued that different states should get opportunities to host major national functions.
Paresh Rawal Says National Events Should Reach Every State
Rawal said there was nothing unusual about choosing Gujarat for an event of national importance.
According to the actor, taking the ceremony to different parts of the country could make such occasions more inclusive and allow states outside Delhi to become hosts of nationally recognised events.
“I say such events should take place in every state. There is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
His comments came amid criticism from some quarters over the decision to shift the National Film Awards ceremony from its traditional Delhi venue.
National Film Awards Ceremony Moves to Gujarat
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony will be held at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia on September 22.
The move represents a change from the long-standing practice of organising the ceremony in the national capital. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has indicated that the awards will be taken to different parts of the country rather than being permanently associated with Delhi.
The idea is to give different regions an opportunity to host one of India’s most prestigious celebrations of cinema.
Gujarat Venue Sparks Debate
The decision to hold the ceremony in Gujarat has drawn both support and criticism.
Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia had questioned the decision to move the event out of Delhi, asking why the established tradition was being changed.
Rawal, however, has taken the opposite view and defended the Gujarat venue, arguing that a national award ceremony should reflect the country’s geographical and cultural diversity.
The National Film Awards, instituted in 1954, recognise achievements across Indian cinema, including feature films, non-feature films and writing related to cinema.
Mammootty, Kartik Aaryan Among Major Winners
The 72nd National Film Awards have recognised several prominent names from across the Indian film industry.
Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan have jointly received the Best Actor award for their performances in Bramayugam and Chandu Champion, respectively. Yami Gautam has been named Best Actress for Article 370.
Article 370 has also been selected as the Best Feature Film, while Bhangaar won the Best Non-Feature Film award and Ram-Nami was recognised as the Best Documentary.
Randeep Hooda will receive the Best Debut Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
Several other films, including Kalki 2898 AD, Amaran, Pushpa: The Rule Part-02, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Stree 2, have also received recognition in various categories.
National Awards to Highlight India’s Regional Cinema
The awards are also notable for their recognition of India’s linguistic diversity, with films and creators from Marathi, Santhali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu and Garhwali cinema receiving honours.
A Santhali film is also set to receive recognition in the Non-Feature Film category for the first time.
With the ceremony now moving to Gujarat, Rawal believes the event can set a wider precedent for taking major national celebrations beyond Delhi and giving different states an opportunity to showcase their contribution to Indian culture and cinema.
