Source The Hindu
NEW DELHI — The 72nd National Film Awards, honoring films certified in the 2024 calendar year, were officially announced on Saturday evening, bringing massive celebrations for Tamil cinema. While big-ticket blockbusters Amaran and Raayan emerged as the primary torchbearers for the industry, critically acclaimed favorites Meiyazhagan and Maharaja fell short of the marquee acting and best film categories, having to settle for technical and supporting accolades instead.
‘Amaran’ and ‘Raayan’ Lead the Charge
The biographical war drama Amaran, which chronicles the heroic life and martyrdom of Major Mukund Varadarajan, dominated the evening. Filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy took home the coveted Best Direction award for his deeply moving storytelling. The film’s technical prowess was further solidified with R. Kalaivanan winning Best Editing, and G.V. Prakash Kumar securing his third career National Award for Best Background Score.
Simultaneously, actor Dhanush had a dual reason to celebrate. His gritty, raw directorial venture Raayan was crowned the Best Tamil Film. Furthermore, Dhanush’s powerhouse performance in the period action thriller Captain Miller earned him a Special Mention from the jury, while the film itself won Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values.
Marquee Misses for ‘Meiyazhagan’ and ‘Maharaja’
Despite high expectations from fans and critics alike, two of the year’s most talked-about Tamil films missed out on the premier categories, such as Best Actor and Best Feature Film.
Meiyazhagan, a heartwarming drama widely praised as a modern masterpiece of emotional storytelling, only secured a single Special Mention for sound designer Suren G..
Vijay Sethupathi’s twisted, critically acclaimed thriller Maharaja managed to salvage a few key wins despite missing the top-tier prizes. Young starlet Sachana Namidass shared the award for Best Supporting Actress for her deeply moving performance, while Anal Arasu claimed the award for Best Action Choreography.
The Pan-India Visual Standouts
Beyond Tamil cinema, the 72nd National Film Awards recognized exceptional storytelling across India, with Article 370 taking Best Feature Film and Mammootty (Bramayugam) sharing Best Actor honors with Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion).
FilmKey Award WonIndustry
AmaranBest Direction, Best Background Score, Best EditingTamil
RaayanBest Tamil FilmTamil
Captain MillerBest Film Promoting Social Values, Special Mention (Dhanush)Tamil
MaharajaBest Supporting Actress, Best Action DirectionTamil
MeiyazhaganSpecial Mention (Sound Design)Tamil
The staggering amount of wins for Tamil cinema across direction, technical execution, and societal value projects the massive evolution and regional strength of our storytellers on the national stage.” — Jury Statements.
