72nd National Film Awards: Anant Nag Gets Dadasaheb Phalke Award

The correct answer is Anant Nag. President Droupadi Murmu presented the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 to the veteran Kannada actor at the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, in Gujarat. Accepting it, Anant Nag spoke of a childhood in an ashram, a move to Mumbai where the stage gave him his first role, and a run of nearly 50 plays before he turned to cinema. He later worked with the director Shyam Benegal, chose Kannada films and made Bengaluru his karmabhoomi, and he had received the Padma Bhushan from the same President a year earlier. Mammootty is wrong because he shared the Best Actor award for Bramayugam. Sanjay Mishra is wrong because he was named Best Supporting Actor for Bhakshak. Randeep Hooda is wrong because he was praised for his first film as a director, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, and not for a lifetime honour.

The correct answer is Ekta Nagar, Kevadia. The 72nd National Film Awards were conferred there, in Gujarat, and it was the first time the ceremony had been taken out of the national capital. The site was chosen for its association with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and with national unity, and the President said the choice suited a ceremony that celebrates the cultural and national unity of the country. The Governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel both described hosting the event as a matter of pride for the state. New Delhi is wrong because this edition deliberately moved away from Delhi, where earlier ceremonies were held. Mumbai is wrong because, although it is the centre of the Hindi film industry, it did not host this ceremony. Gandhinagar is wrong because it is the capital of Gujarat, while the awards were given at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia.

The correct answer is Article 370. The film was judged the Best Feature Film at the 72nd National Film Awards, and Yami Gautam won the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for the same film, which made it the evening's biggest winner. Chandu Champion is wrong because Kartik Aaryan won a share of the Best Actor award for it, while the film itself did not take the top feature prize. Kalki 2898 AD is wrong because it was named the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, a separate category meant for mainstream entertainers. Amaran is wrong because Rajkumar Periasamy won the Best Direction award for it, again a different category. Aspirants should also note Captain Miller, honoured as the best feature promoting national, social and environmental values, and that the Best Actor award this year was shared between Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan.

The correct answer is Rajkumar Periasamy, who won the Best Direction award for Amaran at the 72nd National Film Awards. Randeep Hooda is wrong because he was praised for stepping behind the camera for the first time with Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, but the direction prize did not go to him. Shivadhwaj Shetty is wrong because he directed IMBU, which was honoured as the Best Tulu Film, one of the awards that brought languages outside the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution onto the national stage. Dinesh P. Bhonsle is wrong because he directed Dholi, chosen as the Best Garhwali Film. A related fact worth remembering is that the Best Debut Film of a Director went to Angen, a Santhali film directed by Ravi Raj Murmu. The Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Chanchal Kumar, said the edition drew 400 feature films in 34 languages and 161 non-feature films in 24 languages.