72nd National Film Awards: Winners To Be Announced Today; Bramayugam, Manjummel Boys In Contention

72nd National Film Awards: The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards are set to be announced today, July 3, bringing an end to weeks of anticipation across the Indian film industry. The awards recognise films that received certification during the 2024 calendar year, with entries from multiple Indian languages competing across various categories.

The selection process has been completed by an 11-member jury, which evaluated films from across the country before finalising the recommendations for this year's honours. The official announcement is expected to reveal the winners in categories including Best Feature Film, acting awards, direction, screenplay, music and technical achievements.

Among the prominent Malayalam films in consideration this year are Bramayugam, Manjummel Boys, and Kishkindha Kaandam. The three films have attracted considerable attention ahead of the awards announcement, and industry observers will be watching to see how Malayalam cinema performs when the winners are unveiled.

Filmmaker Jayaraj is serving as the chairperson of the awards jury this year. This is not his first association with the National Film Awards, as he had previously been a member of the jury for the 2012 edition.

Can Malayalam Cinema Repeat Last Year's Success?

Over the years, several noted personalities from Kerala have played key roles in the National Film Awards jury. Acclaimed filmmakers Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shaji N. Karun, and Priyadarshan have previously served as chairpersons of the central panel, reflecting the longstanding contribution of Malayalam cinema to Indian filmmaking.

The National Film Awards remain one of India's most significant film honours, recognising artistic and technical excellence across regional and mainstream cinema.

Malayalam cinema enjoyed a notable presence at the previous edition of the awards. In the 71st National Film Awards, veteran actor Vijayaraghavan received the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Pookkaalam, while Urvashi won the Best Supporting Actress honour for her role in Ullozhukku. Their victories highlighted the industry's strong showing in the acting categories.

With this year's announcement just hours away, attention is now focused on whether Malayalam films can once again secure multiple honours at the national level.