Rahul Dholakia, who won the National Film Award for Best Director for Parzania, shared his views on the 72nd National Film Awards being held in Gujarat.
Published: September 8, 2026, 5:21 PM IST
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Rahul Dholakia on 72nd National Film Awards (PC-Instagram)
The 72nd National Film Awards will mark a major change in the ceremony’s long-standing tradition this yearFor the first time in 72 years, the awards will be held outside Delhi, with the ceremony scheduled for Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22The decision to move the prestigious ceremony to Gujarat has sparked a debate, with filmmaker Rahul Dholakia questioning why the state was chosen over other regions with a strong history of Indian cinema.
Dholakia, who won the National Film Award for Best Director for Parzania, shared his views on social media on September 8The filmmaker, known for directing Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan-starrer Raees, said the issue was not about retaining Delhi as the venue but about choosing a place with a deeper connection to cinema.
“I have no particular love lost for Delhi hosting the National Film Awards, but I question the shift to GujaratWhy Gujarat? Why are you are breaking the tradition of presenting the award in another city/ state- then why not give that honor to a state that has contributed to cinema? Like Maharashtra or Kerela or Tamil Nadu Even a city like Hyderabad .why go to Gujarat? #NationalFilmAwards”
Why Is Rahul Dholakia Questioning Gujarat?
Dholakia’s comments are mainly about the symbolic importance of choosing a new venue for the National Film AwardsHe pointed to Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad as places that have played an important role in the growth of Indian cinema.
Mumbai in Maharashtra remains one of the biggest centres for Hindi film production and is also home to a thriving Marathi film industryKerala has a strong Malayalam film industry, while Chennai has historically been a major centre for Tamil cinemaHyderabad, meanwhile, has emerged as one of India’s biggest hubs for Telugu filmmaking.
Gujarat also has a long-standing film culture, particularly through Gujarati cinemaHowever, Dholakia questioned the decision to hold the ceremony in Kevadia rather than a city such as Ahmedabad, which has a stronger connection with the state’s film industry.
Rahul Dholakia’s Gujarat Connection
Interestingly, Dholakia himself has a strong connection with GujaratHe was born in the state and directed Parzania, which was set against the backdrop of the 2002 Gujarat riots. The 2007 film, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika, followed the story of a young boy who goes missing during the communal violenceDholakia won the National Film Award for Best Director for the film.
He later set his 2017 film Raees, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan, in GujaratThe crime drama revolved around a bootlegger and explored the social and political environment of the state.
National Film Awards’ 72-Year Tradition
The National Film Awards were first presented in 1954 and have traditionally been associated with New DelhiSeveral editions of the ceremony have been held at Vigyan Bhawan. The decision to take the 72nd edition to Kevadia marks the first major change in the awards’ venue tradition in 72 years.
The ceremony will be held at Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia, which is home to the Statue of UnityThe 597-foot monument dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 and has since become one of Gujarat’s major tourist attractions.
Who Will Be Honoured At The 72nd National Film Awards?
The 72nd National Film Awards will honour several prominent names from Indian cinema. Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s Article 370 has won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam has been named Best Actress for her performance in the film. Malayalam superstar Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan will share the Best Actor honourRandeep Hooda has won Best Debut Director for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, his biopic on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
