Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) [India], September 23 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday congratulated the team of Garhwali film ‘Dholi’ for receiving the Best Garhwali Feature Film award at the 72nd National Film Awards, calling the achievement a recognition of the state’s rich folk language, culture and traditions.
Chief Minister Dhami extended his greetings and best wishes to the entire team of ‘Dholi’ and said the recognition would help give a new identity to Garhwali language and culture across the country.
"Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the entire team of the film ‘Dholi’ for receiving the honor of Best Garhwali Feature Film at the 72nd #NationalFilmAwards," CM Dhami wrote on X.
He further said that this was the first time a film made in the Garhwali dialect of Uttarakhand had received a National Film Award.
“This is the first time that a film made in the regional dialect Garhwali of Uttarakhand has been honored with a National Film Award. This achievement will surely give a new identity to our rich folk language, culture, and traditions across the country,” the Chief Minister added.
Dhami added that continuous efforts were being made in Uttarakhand to encourage filmmaking in regional languages and dialects.
“Continuous efforts are being made in Uttarakhand to encourage filmmaking in regional languages and dialects. This accomplishment of ‘Dholi’ will undoubtedly inspire the young filmmakers and artists of the state to create films based on stories connected to their roots,” he said.
72वें #NationalFilmAwards में ‘Dholi’ फिल्म की पूरी टीम को बेस्ट गढ़वाली फीचर फिल्म का सम्मान प्राप्त करने पर हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं। यह पहली बार है जब उत्तराखंड की क्षेत्रीय बोली गढ़वाली में बनी किसी फिल्म को राष्ट्रीय फिल्म पुरस्कार से सम्मानित किया गया है। यह उपलब्धि हमारी समृद्ध लोकभाषा, संस्कृति और परंपराओं को देशभर में नई पहचान दिलाने का कार्य करेगी। उत्तराखंड में क्षेत्रीय भाषाओं और बोलियों में फिल्म निर्माण को प्रोत्साहित करने के लिए लगातार प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं। ‘Dholi’ की यह उपलब्धि निश्चित रूप से प्रदेश के युवा फिल्मकारों और कलाकारों को अपनी जड़ों से जुड़ी कहानियों पर फ़िल्म बनाने के लिए नई प्रेरणा देगी।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) September 22, 2026
The film is directed by Dinesh Bhonsle.
The award has brought attention to Garhwali cinema and highlighted the role of regional films in preserving local languages, traditions and stories.
Meanwhile, veteran actor Anant Nag was honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to the growth and development of the Indian cinema.
Randeep Hooda received the Best Debut Film of a Director award at the 72nd National Film Awards for his biographical drama film 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.'
Yami Gautam was honoured with the Best Actor for Article 370 and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion. Mammootty has recieved his fourth National Film Award on Tuesday. He has been honoured for his performance in Bramayugam. Rajkumar Periasamy was named Best Director for Amaran. Article 370 also won Best Feature Film, while Kalki 2898 AD was named Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Among other winners, Srikanth was named Best Hindi Film, Raayan won Best Tamil Film, Feminichi Fathima was named Best Malayalam Film and Committee Kurrollu won Best Telugu Film. Instituted in 1954, the National Awards are among the most prestigious honours of Indian cinema, which recognise excellence across Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Writing on Cinema and include a wide range of languages, regions and forms of filmmaking.
The 72nd National Film Awards took place in Gujarat for the first time this year. It took place at Kevadia which is famous for the 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India. (ANI)
