📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Michael Gäbler
Entertainment
National Film Awards shifted from Delhi to Kevadia, Gujarat, ignites political controversy
✍️ India Today
🗓 08 Sep 2026, 11:17 AM
👁 34
The government has decided to hold the National Film Awards in Kevadia, Gujarat instead of Delhi, prompting criticism from opposition parties.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that the upcoming National Film Awards ceremony will be conducted in Kevadia, a town in Gujarat's Narmada district, moving the event away from its traditional venue in Delhi. The decision, revealed in a press release on Monday, cites the state's cultural infrastructure and the availability of a newly built convention centre as key factors.
Opposition leaders in Parliament raised objections, arguing that the relocation undermines the capital's status as the cultural hub of the nation and appears to be a political move to curry favour with the ruling party's state leadership. Several parties demanded a reversal of the decision, calling for a transparent justification.
The Directorate of Film Festivals, which organizes the awards, confirmed that logistical arrangements are underway and that the ceremony will retain its standard format, with awards presented to winners across various categories. No changes to the award criteria or schedule have been announced.
Stakeholders in the film industry have expressed mixed reactions. While some producers welcomed the opportunity to showcase Gujarat's emerging facilities, others cautioned that the shift could affect attendance of senior officials and media personnel accustomed to Delhi's connectivity.
The government has not indicated any further changes to the awards' timeline, and the ceremony is slated for early December, as per the annual schedule.
Opposition leaders in Parliament raised objections, arguing that the relocation undermines the capital's status as the cultural hub of the nation and appears to be a political move to curry favour with the ruling party's state leadership. Several parties demanded a reversal of the decision, calling for a transparent justification.
The Directorate of Film Festivals, which organizes the awards, confirmed that logistical arrangements are underway and that the ceremony will retain its standard format, with awards presented to winners across various categories. No changes to the award criteria or schedule have been announced.
Stakeholders in the film industry have expressed mixed reactions. While some producers welcomed the opportunity to showcase Gujarat's emerging facilities, others cautioned that the shift could affect attendance of senior officials and media personnel accustomed to Delhi's connectivity.
The government has not indicated any further changes to the awards' timeline, and the ceremony is slated for early December, as per the annual schedule.