Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag has been named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, India’s highest honour in cinema. The award is scheduled to be presented at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026.
The Government of India announced the selection on September 16 following the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee. The Indian Express, NDTV and The News Minute independently reported the announcement and presentation details.
Anant Nag dedicates the recognition to Karnataka
Responding to the announcement, Nag dedicated the honour to the people of Karnataka and the Kannada film industry. He credited the state’s filmmakers, audiences and cultural environment with giving him opportunities to work across commercial and parallel cinema.
The Indian Express reported on September 17 that Nag also expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public acknowledgement of the award. Nag had similarly dedicated his Padma Bhushan, received in 2025, to Karnataka and Kannadigas.
The award has been announced rather than physically presented. Reports describing Nag as the selected recipient should therefore be distinguished from the ceremony itself, which is scheduled for September 22.
A career spanning languages and styles
Nag’s screen career extends across more than five decades and includes more than 300 films, according to NDTV and The Indian Express. His work is centred on Kannada cinema, but he has also appeared in Hindi and other Indian-language films.
His early career was closely connected with theatre and parallel cinema. Over time, he moved between art-house productions, mainstream features, television and character roles without being confined to a single genre. That range helped establish him as one of Kannada cinema’s most recognisable performers.
The Indian Express highlighted his naturalistic portrayals of ordinary people during an era in which action-led commercial films were prominent. His filmography includes collaborations with major directors and performances that brought him both state and national recognition.
What the Dadasaheb Phalke Award represents
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is conferred by the Government of India for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. It is presented as part of the National Film Awards and is named after filmmaker Dhundiraj Govind Phalke.
Nag becomes the second Kannada cinema personality after Dr Rajkumar to receive the honour, according to The Indian Express. He also joins a comparatively small group of artists recognised with both the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Padma Bhushan.
The government’s selection refers to the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, even though the announcement and presentation take place in 2026. Keeping the award year separate from the ceremony year avoids a common source of confusion in reporting cultural honours.
Next step: the September 22 ceremony
The formal presentation will take place during the 72nd National Film Awards in Kevadia. Until then, the confirmed development is the government’s selection and Nag’s public response.
The recognition places renewed attention on a career that connected Kannada theatre, parallel cinema and popular film over several generations.
