Mumbai, September 2026 : Actor Yami Gautam Dhar, who has been honoured with the Best Actress award at the 72nd National Film Awards for her performance in Arti…

Mumbai, September 2026 : Actor Yami Gautam Dhar, who has been honoured with the Best Actress award at the 72nd National Film Awards for her performance in Article 370, said the recognition has brought out the excitement and nervousness of a newcomer despite her years of experience in the film industry

Yami attended the National Film Awards ceremony on Tuesday with her husband and filmmaker Aditya Dhar. Speaking to Prasar Bharati, the actor described the National Award as the highest validation an artiste can receive in India and said she was still trying to absorb the significance of the moment

“This is the biggest validation that any artiste in this country could receive. It's the highest honour. I don't think I'll be able to express how I am feeling right now,” Yami said

She added that although she had spent years working as an actor, the recognition had made her feel like a newcomer experiencing something entirely new

“I am still trying to soak in and smile but from inside, I could feel that energy of an absolute newcomer for whom everything is so big, new and so special,” she said

Yami received the honour for her performance in Article 370, which portrays events surrounding the planning and aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution

Reflecting on the significance of the film in her career, the actor said Article 370 gave her an opportunity to explore the kind of role she had been seeking for years

“It gave me everything that I have been wanting to do for the longest time. Years of hard work often trickles down to one moment and for me that was ‘Article 370’,” she said

The 72nd National Film Awards, recognising achievements in Indian cinema during 2024, are being presented on September 22, 2026, at Kevadia in Gujarat. President Droupadi Murmu is conferring the awards at the ceremony