Randeep Hooda Arrives in Gujarat as National Film Awards Head to Ekta Nagar

Actor Randeep Hooda landed at Vadodara Airport on Sunday ahead of the 72nd National Film Awards, which will be held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on Tuesday. This is the first time the ceremony is being staged at the venue.

Hooda is set to receive the National Film Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for his biographical drama Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Speaking to reporters at the airport, he described the recognition as a personal milestone. "This is my first National Award. I am very grateful to be a part of these awards," he said.

The actor had earlier reacted to the announcement of the win in July, saying the honour was still sinking in. In a press statement, he recalled the demands of the project, which he worked on as actor, co-writer and first-time director. He said the film's journey was marked by challenges at every stage, but the team persevered, and that he felt a deep responsibility to tell the story of Veer Savarkar with sincerity and honesty.

The National Awards were instituted in 1954 and are among Indian cinema's most prestigious honours. They recognise excellence across Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Writing on Cinema, spanning a wide range of languages, regions and forms of filmmaking.

President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards for outstanding achievements in Indian cinema for 2024. The ceremony is being held at Kevadia, also known as Ekta Nagar, the site of the 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 'Statue of Unity', the world's tallest statue, to the nation on October 31, 2018.