New Delhi: Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 by President Droupadi Murmu at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on Tuesday.
The award recognises Nag’s contribution to Indian cinema over a career spanning more than five decades. He becomes the second Kannada actor to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, after Dr Rajkumar was honoured with the prestigious award in 1995.
Anant Nag dedicates award to colleagues and audiences
Speaking after receiving the honour, Anant Nag said he was overwhelmed by the occasion and recalled his childhood and early association with theatre.
“I am trying to digest the majesty of this function. I am very happy to be with you all today here. As an actor, you have seen me perform. You have seen some of the snippets. I grew up in an aashram — my childhood up to 12 years. In Mumbai, I got a chance to act in a play,” he said.
Nag also spoke about his association with Karnataka and said he had received immense love and respect in the state despite working across several Indian languages.
Dedicating the award to those who contributed to his career, he said the honour was not his alone.
“This award doesn’t belong to me alone. It also belongs to everyone – producers, directors, associate directors, assistance directors. The award belongs to millions of people who opened their hearts and minds to my characters over decades,” Nag said.
Concluding his speech, he quoted Sri Adi Shankaracharya and spoke about his connection with Karnataka and India.
“This great country is my janmabhoomi, Karnataka is my karmabhoomi. Bharat is also my dharmbhoomi,” he said.
Seven decades of contribution to cinema
Born on September 4, 1948, Anant Nag began his acting career in the early 1970s after developing an interest in theatre in Mumbai. He made his feature-film debut with the Kannada film Sankalpa in 1973.
His early career also saw him work with acclaimed filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Nag appeared in Ankur, an important film associated with India’s parallel cinema movement, and subsequently worked with Benegal in films including Manthan and Bhumika.
Over the years, Nag successfully moved between parallel cinema, mainstream productions and character-driven films. His performances in Kannada films such as Bayalu Daari, Kanneshwara Rama, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Chandanada Gombe and Benkiya Bale established him as a prominent actor in the Kannada film industry.
He has worked across Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi and English cinema and has more than 300 films to his credit.
From Malgudi Days to KGF
Television further expanded Anant Nag’s reach beyond Kannada cinema. He appeared in Malgudi Days, the popular Doordarshan adaptation of R K Narayan’s stories directed by his younger brother Shankar Nag.
The series was telecast in several Indian languages and introduced Anant Nag’s performances to audiences across the country.
In the later stages of his career, Nag continued to appear in both mainstream and character-driven films. His credits include Mungaru Male, Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, Raajakumara and the KGF films.
His portrayal of Anand Ingalagi in KGF: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2 introduced him to a younger generation of viewers. The character serves as the narrator of the KGF story.
Multiple honours during illustrious career
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award adds to a long list of honours received by Anant Nag during his career.
He has won Filmfare Awards South and Karnataka State Film Awards for Best Actor and has also received the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award and the Karnataka State Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2025, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honour conferred by the Government of India for contribution to Indian cinema. Instituted in 1969, it commemorates filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke, who directed Raja Harishchandra, regarded as India’s first full-length feature film.
72nd National Film Awards ceremony
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, marking a departure from the traditional venue in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu presented the honours to winners for films certified during 2024.
A total of 92 winners are being recognised across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.
The ceremony also saw several prominent filmmakers and actors receive national recognition. Amaran director Rajkumar Periasamy won Best Direction, while Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan were recognised for Best Actor for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion, respectively.
Article 370 won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam received the Best Actress award for the film. Kalki 2898 AD was recognised as Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
For Anant Nag, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award marks another major milestone in a career that has crossed generations, languages and different forms of Indian storytelling.