Anant Nag chosen for Dadasaheb Phalke Award; ceremony set for Gujarat

Anant Nag has been selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2024, recognising a screen career that stretches across more than five decades. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the decision on September 16, 2026. The award is scheduled to be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22.

The two years refer to different things: 2024 is the award year, while 2026 is the year of this announcement and the planned ceremony. As of September 17, the presentation is still ahead.

A career built across languages and formats

The government's 2025 Padma award biography traces Nag's beginnings to theatre, where he performed more than 50 roles over five years. It identifies Sankalp as his first Kannada feature and Ankur as his Hindi debut. His work subsequently extended into Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Marathi cinema, alongside television work including Malgudi Days.

That range makes a single film an incomplete introduction to his career. A viewer may know him through a television memory, a Kannada comedy or a Hindi drama, while another generation recognises his later character roles. The award provides an opportunity to connect those different encounters with the same performer.

Films that show the breadth

Cinema Express's career overview highlights his collaborations with Shyam Benegal in films including Nishant, Manthan and Bhumika. It also points to Kannada titles such as Bayalu Daari and Ganeshana Maduve, and later work including Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu and KGF.

For anyone revisiting his performances, comparing works from different periods offers a useful way to appreciate the scale of that filmography. The contrast between a leading role and a later supporting part can be as revealing as a chronological list of successes.

What the honour recognises

The ministry describes the Dadasaheb Phalke Award as India's highest cinema honour. Established in 1969, it recognises contribution to Indian cinema rather than a single performance. Nag's selection brings that national recognition to a career closely associated with Kannada cinema, with Gujarat now set to host the presentation.