New Delhi: The national film awards ceremony, in which one of India’s most prestigious honours are bestowed, will be held in Ekta Nagar in the Prime Minister’s home state of Gujarat this year, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced on Monday (September 7).This year’s film awards – meant for movies released in 2024 – will be given out by President of India Droupadi Murmu, as per convention, on September 22. The ceremony has rarely moved away from the national capital in the 72 years of its existence since 1954. In 1971, the awards were given out in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.The award ceremony is usually held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, which is slated for demolition this year or in 2027 as part of the redevelopment of the Central Vista, parliament and its surroundings. The annexe has already been demolished and turned into a “plot” for a new central secretariat building.Ekta Nagar, earlier known as Kevadia, hit the national spotlight when the BJP government of the state, then led by Narendra Modi, decided in 2013 to install the ‘tallest statue’ of Congress leader and first home minister of India, Sardar Patel, next to the Narmada River in the town.Reports say a venue is being prepared at the bus bay of the site of the 182-metre tall statue to accommodate nearly 1,000 guests for the awards ceremony next to this statue. Thegovernment has described the upcoming temporary site as “a German aluminium structural dome”.Also read: Statue of Unity: An Open Letter to Sardar Patel by Medha PatkarAfter Modi became prime minister in 2014, the Patel statue project was pursued more actively, and with some public donations, government funding and cooperation with Chinese foundries, it was completed in October 2018. The expenditure was close to Rs 3,000 crore, on the statue and associated constructions. The town was also renamed Ekta Nagar and declared a tourist destination.The decision to move the awards to Gujarat has been questioned by some, including filmmaker Rahul Dholakia, director of national film award winning movie Parzania, on the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, who said a state that has contributed to Indian cinema would have been a better location. Dholakia said Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu or the city of Hyderabad would have been better choices than Gujarat.“When you are breaking the tradition of presenting the award in another city/state, then why not give that honour to a state that has contributed to cinema?” he wrote on X.For this year’s awards, the film Article 370 has been named the best feature film and its lead star Yami Gautam the best actress. Both Kartik Aaryan (for Chandu Champion) and Mammootty (Bramayugam) will be honoured in the best actor category.Randeep Hooda’s Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a biopic of the eponymous Hindutva icon will receive the best debut director award.Tamil film Captain Miller, directed by Arun Matheswaran and starring Dhanush, is to be honoured as the best feature film in the category of promoting national, social and environmental values. Telugu science-fiction drama Kalki 2898 AD will receive the award for best popular film in the entertainment category.