Look above political interest: Centre breaks silence on National Film Awards row
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the criticism surrounding the 72nd National Film Awards being held near Gujarat’s iconic Statue of Unity instead of Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan. Responding to the debate during the ceremony, Vaishnaw said the government intended to take the National Film Awards to different prominent tourist destinations across the country in the coming years. He even requested people to look beyond political interests.
Addressing those who had raised what he described as a narrow political debate over the venue, Vaishnaw said, "Those who get into narrow political discussion, I want to request you to look above your political interest. Nation first, always first."
In his speech, Vaishnaw invited states and Union Territories across the country to identify prominent tourist destinations and propose improvements that could be made to them. The government would then select a destination to host the next National Film Awards ceremony, with the aim of promoting the location and boosting tourism in the state.
“I am giving a call to all the states and Union Territories to select one of the most important tourist destinations in the state and tell us what improvement you will make. Then your destination will be selected, and we’ll have the next round of National Film Awards at the destination,” he said.
He added that the government wanted to use the awards ceremony as a way to promote these destinations. “We’ll follow this method to move around some of the most prominent tourist destinations in the country. Those destinations will be promoted on their own when films and filmmakers go there,” he said.
Earlier, while talking to the media, Vaishnaw said Ekta Nagar had gained recognition globally and had emerged as an attractive tourist destination, home to the world’s tallest statue. He added that the visit of President Droupadi Murmu and leading personalities from the Indian film industry would help draw greater attention to the destination and give more people an opportunity to experience it.
The minister also recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s G20 presidency saw events being hosted across different parts of the country and in various states. He said the National Film Awards were similarly being taken to different parts of India as part of a broader effort to explore how cinema and tourism could be brought together.
After the announcement was made to shift the ceremony venue, several political leaders, including Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, criticised the same while Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut appealed to artists to boycott the ceremony.
Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia was also unhappy with the decision. He argued that several other states and cities have a stronger historical connection with Indian cinema, so why Gujarat?
The 72nd National Film Awards recognised talents from Indian cinema, with prominent names like Mammootty, Kartik Aaryan, Yami Gautam and Dhanush bagging top honours.- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Sep 22, 2026 20:02 ISTALSO READ | National Film Awards 2026 highlights: Mammootty, Yami, Kartik, Dhanush bag honours
