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Mumbai, Jul 18 (PTI): Actors Mammootty, Yami Gautam and Kartik Aaryan have expressed their gratitude for winning top honours at the 72nd National Film Awards announced on Saturday.

Veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty and Aaryan shared the best actor award for “Bramayugam” and “Chandu Champion”, respectively.

Mammootty, who plays a menacing role in the period folk horror film, posted on X, “Thanks Team Bramayugam and Rahul Sadasivan (writer-director) for entrusting me with ‘Kodumon Potty’ (his character in the film).

The 74-year-old actor, who won his fourth National Film Award, also congratulated the other winners, saying, “Truly well deserved!” Veteran actor-politician Kamal Haasan congratulated the Malayalam star and his friend on winning yet another National Award.

“You once promised me you would overtake me in the number of National Awards. As always, you are a man of your word! Here's to many more accolades, my friend,” Haasan said.

Haasan’s Telugu sci-fi movie, “Kalki 2898 AD”, won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment award at the nationals.

“Congratulations as well to all the winners of the 72nd National Film Awards. Special congratulations to @Nagashwin7 @vyjayanthifilms and entire #Kalki2898AD family. Indian cinema is richer because of your excellence,” Haasan said.

Production banner Vyjayanthi Films also shared a note of gratitude on social media for the recognition of “Kalki 2898 AD”, calling it a “celebration” of every artiste and technician associated with the film.

“The next chapter carries not just our vision, but your belief. We promise to make the wait for #Kalki2 worth it,” the post said.

Actor-filmmaker Dhanush expressed his gratitude after winning two National Awards – for his directorial venture “Raayan” and for his performance in “Captain Miller”.

“This recognition for Captain Miller is especially close to my heart because I have always believed it to be my finest performance to date,” Dhanush said in a note, adding that receiving a Special Mention for a performance he holds so dearly made the honour even more meaningful.

Reacting to the honour, Aaryan said he is “still processing” his first National Award for “Chandu Champion”, in which he played India’s first Paralympic gold medallist, Murlikant Petkar.

The film is directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala.

“Some moments are simply bigger than words, and this is one of them. A dream I’ve carried for years has finally come true. Forever humbled, forever grateful,” the actor said.

Nadiadwala congratulated Aaryan and said it is a moment of “pure joy and immense pride” for the entire team of “Chandu Champion”.

Yami Gautam expressed gratitude for winning her first National Award for her performance as an intelligence officer in the political drama “Article 370”.

“Every journey has a moment that reminds you why you never gave up. Today is that moment for me. I will cherish it for the rest of my life,” she wrote on Instagram.

Based on the 2019 revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the movie also won Best Feature Film for Aditya Suhas Jambhale and Best Music Direction for Shashwat Sachdev.

Calling the honour the culmination of perseverance and dedication to her craft, Gautam, who recently completed 14 years in Hindi cinema, said, “It is a dream I’ve carried in my heart for years and today, I receive it with immense gratitude and humility.” She added that it is a deeply emotional moment as the film is a home production driven by a shared commitment to tell an honest story.

Gautam also said the award is not the “end of a dream, it is the beginning of a greater responsibility”.

“…Keep growing, to keep taking risks and to keep telling stories that matter. Dreams do come true, but only when passion refuses to give up. This one’s for every dreamer who is still waiting for their moment. Never stop believing,” she said.

Gautam’s filmmaker husband Aditya Dhar, who backed the movie, described the recognition as “deeply humbling” and credited the film’s success to its cast, crew and audiences.

“Your love gave this film a life far beyond the screen," he said.

Director Suhas Jambhale said, “This is my third National Award, and the feeling of receiving this honour is just as overwhelming and deeply humbling.” Jambhale had won the National Award for his Marathi short film “Kharvas” (2018) and for his debut short film “Aaba Aiktaay Naa?” (2016).

Jyoti Deshpande, President of Jio Studios, termed the film’s triple honours an “incredibly emotional moment”.

Randeep Hooda, who won the Best Debut Director award for “Swatantrya Veer Savarkar”, expressed his gratitude to his team for believing in him and standing by him through the highs and lows.

“This recognition belongs to all of us, and I hope it inspires more people, especially the younger generation, to discover and reflect on Veer Savarkar’s legacy,” the actor said in a statement.

Hooda, who also co-wrote the film and starred in the titular role, described it as the most demanding project of his career.

Sanjay Mishra was honoured with the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in “Bhakshak”. The Netflix film, which starred Bhumi Pednekar in the lead role, uncovers the sexual abuse of young children at a shelter home.

“Receiving the National Award is a huge honour for me. This really touched my heart,” said the veteran actor, who played a small-town cameraman working for a local news channel in “Bhakshak”.

Pednekar took to Instagram to congratulate Mishra on winning the award.

“My dearest @imsanjaymishra, you are a force of nature, and it’s always an honour to work with you. Hearts happy,” she wrote.

In the feature film category, the Rajkummar Rao-starrer “Srikanth – Aa Raha Hai Sabki Aankhein Kholne” won the Best Film award.

Directed by Tushar Hiranandani and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani, the film is a biopic of Srikanth Bolla (Rao), a visually-impaired industrialist.

Hiranandani said the award is a tribute to Bolla’s life and the collective effort of the cast and crew.

“Making ‘Srikanth’ has been one of the most fulfilling journeys of my career. This award is a tribute to Srikanth Bolla’s inspiring life and to every member of the cast and crew who poured their hearts into telling this story,” he said.

Bhushan Kumar said the recognition is an honour for the entire team, and credited Srikanth Bolla's story for inspiring audiences.

Announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the awards recognised and celebrated achievements in Indian cinema in 2024. PTI KKP ARI ARI

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)