President Droupadi Murmu confers the honour at the 72nd National Film Awards in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat — the first time in decades the ceremony has been held outside Delhi
Raipur। Filmmaker Bharatbala’s documentary Ramnami, a portrait of the Ramnami community of central and northern Chhattisgarh, has won the National Award for Best Documentary at the 72nd National Film Awards. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the honour on Bharatbala at a ceremony held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, at the foot of the Statue of Unity — marking the first time in decades that the National Film Awards ceremony has been held outside New Delhi.
Bharatbala’s documentary captures this community with singer-composer Kailash Kher lending his voice to its spirit through the song “Ram hi paar lagavenge.” The collaboration began by chance, over a conversation at an airport before the shoot, and became central to the film — Kher’s music channels the phrase “Bahar Ram, bhitar Ram, mora rom-rom Ram hi Ram,” a devotion woven, as the community would put it, into every cell of being.
“Winning the National Award for Ram-Nami is deeply humbling, but I see this honour not as a recognition of a film, but as a recognition of the people and the living traditions who allowed us to enter their world and tell their story. With Ram-Nami, we were fortunate to encounter a community whose faith is not merely something they practise, it is something they carry on their bodies, in their lives and in their identity. Their story is one of devotion, resilience and extraordinary human dignity. For me, documentary filmmaking is ultimately about listening. It is about preserving voices, memories and ways of life that deserve to remain part of our collective consciousness. This National Award belongs first to the Ramnami community, and to the many people of Chhattisgarh who have trusted us with their stories.
Chhattisgarh has been an extraordinary journey of discovery for me. Its cultural heritage is vast, ancient and remarkably alive. Through our work, we have had the privilege of filming the Baiga tribe, Dhokra art, the Bison-Horn Maria community, the Ghotul tradition and the magnificent heritage of Sirpur, which received support from the Chhattisgarh Department of Culture. These documentaries are yet to be released.. Each of these journeys revealed another facet of a civilisation that continues to live through its people, its crafts, its rituals, its music and its collective memory.”
— Bharatbala Ganapathy, Director, Ram-Nami
The film brings national attention to a Dalit community whose devotion to the name of Ram is written, quite literally, on their skin. Their story begins around 1890, when Parsuram Bharadwaj, a Dalit man denied entry to a village temple because of his caste, responded by tattooing the word “Ram” across his entire body. His community followed, vowing that no one would ever again be able to keep the Lord away from them. For the Ramnamis, the body itself becomes a temple, every inch inscribed with the sacred name, a radical and visually striking act of faith born from exclusion. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra broke protocol to honor the Ramnami community.
About Bharatbala
Bharatbala Ganapathy is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who has worked across cinema, television commercials and documentaries. He first gained national attention for the patriotic music videos Vande Mataram (1997) and Jana Gana Mana (2000), created with long-time collaborator A. R. Rahman. His debut feature, Hari Om, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2004 and went on to win eight audience awards, followed by the critically acclaimed Maryan (2013), starring Dhanush and Parvathy. He has also directed over 500 advertising campaigns, including Incredible India and School Chalen Hum. He recently won the National Award for Best Documentary for his visually compelling and socially relevant film Ramnami.
About Virtual Bharat
Virtual Bharat is a short documentary series, India’s untold stories – created by filmmaker Bharatbala, launched on August 15, 2019. The project aims to produce 1,000 short films capturing everyday people, traditions, art and folklore from across India. Featuring collaborators such as A. R. Rahman, Gulzar and Shreya Ghoshal, Virtual Bharat blends cinematic craft with grassroots storytelling. Its mission is to preserve cultural wisdom and spotlight communities often left unseen, building what it calls the “largest digital repository of human stories” – a living, evolving portrait of India’s infinite identity.
