Screen Academy unveils Chetak Screen Awards: Here are the nominees for the finest in film and OTT

The evaluation process witnessed over 95 per cent Academy participation across categories, with an average of 38-40 Academy members scoring each category, ensuring a highly robust and representative selection process. For most categories, 38-40 valid scores were considered after applying the trimmed mean (Olympic) scoring methodology ensuring fairness and neutrality.

Adopting a digital-first approach, The Indian Express Group is bringing back the prestigious Screen Awards in an intimate partnership with YouTube, offering open access to global audiences.

As the race for Chetak Screen Awards takes shape, with the announcement of the nominees, the nominees in the Best Film category mirror the richness and diversity of Indian cinema. After enjoying huge success and box-office collections, Dhurandhar is vying for Best Film trophy along with Laxman Ramchandra Utekar-directed Chhaava. While Saiyaara reaffirms the enduring appeal of romance and music, Shazia Iqbal’s much-discussed Dhadak 2 underscores a willingness to confront uncomfortable social realities such as caste. The acclaim for Suparn Varma’s Haq and Homebound highlights how real-life stories continue to resonate when told with sincerity. Even in a star-driven industry, films like Sitaare Zameen Par and Reema Kagti’s Superboys Of Malegaon prove that heartfelt storytelling still wins.

Reema Kagti, Adtiya Dhar and Neeraj Ghaywan have been nominated in the Best Director category at Chetak Screen Awards.

The Best Director Category has an interesting mix as Raam Reddy of Jugnuma: The Fable competes with fellow nominees Laxman Ramchandra Utekar (Chhaava), Adtiya Dhar (Dhurandhar), Suparn S Varma (Haq), Neeraj Ghaywan (Homebound), Mohit Suri (Saiyaara) and Reema Kagti (Superboys Of Malegaon). The Breakthrough Debut Director segment celebrates the talented storytellers who have grabbed the audience’s attention with their craft. Those nominated for this award are Shazia Iqbal (Dhadak 2), Dibakar Das Roy (Dilli Dark), Aranya Sahay (Humans in the Loop), Karan Singh Tyagi (Kesari Chapter 2) and Karan Kandhari (Sister Midnight).

The awards also recognise filmmakers whose works bypassed theatrical release but found audiences on streaming platforms. The nominees for Best Director (OTT Film) are Arati Kadav (Mrs), Honey Trehan (Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders), Karan Tejpal (Stolen), Anusha Rizvi (The Great Shamsuddin Family) and Boman Irani (The Mehta Boys).

Established in 1995, the Screen Awards’s stage has long been a platform where actors earn recognition for standout performances. In the Best Actor (Female) category, Triptii Dimri (Dhadak 2), Yami Gautam Dhar (Haq), Konkona Sen Sharma (Metro… In Dino) and Kriti Sanon (Tere Ishk Mein) have been nominated for their compelling performances. While Radhika Apte is nominated for her role in the quirky, dark comedy Sister Midnight, Sonal Madhushankar (Humans in the Loop) got a nod for her quiet but assured performance. Monika Panwar (Nishaanchi), who delivered a fiery turn, too has been picked by the jury as a Best Actor (Female) nominee.

Yami Gautam Dhar and Kriti Sanon have been nominated in the Best Actor (Female) category at Chetak Screen Awards.

In the Best Actor (Male) category, the competition features some of India’s finest performers: Vicky Kaushal (Chhaava), Siddhant Chaturvedi (Dhadak 2), Ranveer Singh (Dhurandhar), Ishaan Khatter (Homebound), Manoj Bajpayee (Jugnuma: The Fable), Adarsh Gourav (Superboys Of Malegaon) and Vishal Jethwa (Homebound), showcasing the depth and range of acting talent in Indian cinema.

Come April 5, the spotlight will not just be on winners, but on a film industry in transition—one that continues to evolve, experiment and find new ways to tell its stories.

To know the full list of Screen Academy’s members who decide the nominations and winners, visit https://screen-academy.org/

Check out the complete list of nominations for the Chetak Screen Awards:

Best Action

120 Bahadur – Amritpal Singh, Marek Svitek

Chhaava – Parvez Shaikh

Deva – Supreme Sundar, Abbas Ali Moghul, Anl Arasu, Vikram Dahiya, Parvez Shaikh

Dhurandhar – Aejaz Gulab, Sea Young Oh, Yannick Ben, Ramazan Bulut

Jaat – Ram Laxman, V Venkat, Peter Hein, Anl Arasu

Best Actor (Female)

Triptii Dimri – Dhadak 2

Yami Gautam Dhar – Haq

Sonal Madhushankar – Humans in the Loop

Konkona Sen Sharma – Metro… In Dino

Monika Panwar – Nishaanchi

Radhika Apte – Sister Midnight

Kriti Sanon – Tere Ishk Mein

Best Actor (Female) – OTT Film

Fatima Sana Shaikh – Aap Jaisa Koi

Sanya Malhotra – Mrs

Radhika Apte – Saali Mohabbat

Saba Azad – Songs of Paradise

Mia Maelzer – Stolen

The Great Shamsuddin Family – Farida Jalal

Shreya Chaudhry – The Mehta Boys

Best Actor (Male)

Vicky Kaushal – Chhaava

Siddhant Chaturvedi – Dhadak 2

Ranveer Singh – Dhurandhar

Vishal Jethwa – Homebound

Ishaan Khatter – Homebound

Manoj Bajpayee – Jugnuma: The Fable

Adarsh Gourav – Superboys Of Malegaon

Best Actor (Male) – OTT film

Manoj Bajpayee – Inspector Zende

Abhishek Bachchan – Kaalidhar Laapata

Nawazuddin Siddiqui – Raat Akeli Hai The Bansal Murders

Abhishek Banerjee – Stolen

Shubham Vardhan – Stolen

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female)

Divya Dutta – Chhaava

Sheeba Chadha – Haq

Shalini Vatsa – Homebound

Dolly Ahluwalia – Sitaare Zameen Par

Manjiri Pupala – Superboys Of Malegaon

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male)

Akshaye Khanna – Dhurandhar

Rakesh Bedi – Dhurandhar

Naseeruddin Shah – Gustaakh Ishq

Saurabh Shukla – Jolly LLB 3

Deepak Dobriyal – Jugnuma: The Fable

Best Background Score

Chhaava – AR Rahman

Dhurandhar – Shashwat Sachdev

Haq – Sandeep Chowta

Homebound – Naren Chandavarkar, Benedict Taylor

Saiyaara – John Stewart Eduri

Best Choreography

Azaad – Ui Amma – Bosco Leslie Martis

Deva – Bhasad Macha – Bosco Leslie Martis

Dhurandhar – Shararat – Vijay Ganguly

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari – Panwadi Song – Ganesh Acharya

Thamma – Dilbar Ki Aankhon Ka – Vijay Ganguly

Best Cinematography

Dhurandhar – Vikash Nowlakha

Homebound – Pratik Shah

Humans in the Loop – Monica Tiwari, Harshit Saini, Gunjan Jaywant

Jugnuma: The Fable – Sunil Ramkrishna Borkar

Superboys of Malegaon – Swapnil. S. Sonawane (ISC)

Best Costume

Chhaava – Sheetal Iqbal Sharma

Dhurandhar – Smriti Chauhan

Gustaakh Ishq – Manish Malhotra, Shivank Vikram Kapoor

Homebound – Rohit Chaturvedi

Superboys of Malegaon – Bhawna Sharma

Best Dialogue

Dhurandhar – Aditya Dhar

Haq – Reshu Nath

Homebound – Neeraj Ghaywan, Varun Grover, Shreedhar Dubey

Jolly LLB 3 – Subhash Kapoor

Superboys of Malegaon – Varun Grover, Shoaib Zulfi Nazeer

Best Director

Laxman Ramchandra Utekar – Chhaava

Aditya Dhar – Dhurandhar

Suparn S Varma – Haq

Neeraj Ghaywan – Homebound

Raam Reddy — Jugnuma: The Fable

Mohit Suri – Saiyaara

Reema Kagti – Superboys Of Malegaon

Best Director – OTT film

Arati Kadav – Mrs

Honey Trehan – Raat Akeli Hai – The Bansal Murders

Karan Tejpal – Stolen

Anusha Rizvi – The Great Shamsuddin Family

Boman Irani – The Mehta Boys

Best Editing

Dhurandhar – Shivkumar V. Panicker

Haq – Ninad Khanolkar

Homebound – Nitin Baid

Saiyaara – Devendra Murdeshwar, Rohit Makwana

Superboys of Malegaon – Anand Subaya

Best Film

Dhadak 2 – Karan Johar, Umesh Kumar Bhansal, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Meenu Aroraa, Somen Mishra, Pragati Deshmukh, Marijke DeSouza

Dhurandhar – Jyoti Deshpande, Lokesh Dhar, Aditya Dhar

Haq – Vineet Jain, Vishal Gurnani, Harman Baweja, Juhi Parekh Mehta, Amrita Pandey, Suparn S Varma, Rowena Baweja, Sandeep Singh

Homebound – Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra, Marijke DeSouza, Melita Toscan Du Plantier

Saiyaara – Akshaye Widhani

Sitaare Zameen Par – Aamir Khan, Aparna Purohit

Superboys Of Malegaon – Zoya Akhtar (Producer), Reema Kagti (Producer), Ritesh Sidhwani (Producer), Farhan Akhtar (Producer), Angad Dev Singh (Co-Producer), Kassim Jagmagia (Co-Producer), Vishal Ramchandani (Co-Producer)

Chhaava – Dinesh Vijan

Best Film for Gender Sensitivity

Dhadak 2 – Karan Johar, Umesh Kumar Bhansal, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Meenu Aroraa,  Somen Mishra, Pragati Deshmukh, Marijke DeSouza

Haq – Vineet Jain, Vishal Gurnani, Harman Baweja, Juhi Parekh Mehta, Amrita Pandey, Suparn S Varma, Rowena Baweja, Sandeep Singh

Humans in the Loop – Mathivanan Rajendran, Sarabhi Ravichandran, Shilpa Kumar, Aranya Sahay

Mrs – Jyoti Deshpande, Harman Baweja, Pammi Baweja, Smitha Baliga

The Great Shamsuddin Family – Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare, Mahmood Farooqui

Best Film Writing (Story & Screenplay)

Dhurandhar – Aditya Dhar

Haq – Reshu Nath

Homebound – Basharat Peer, Neeraj Ghaywan, Sumit Roy

Humans in the Loop – Aranya Sahay

Superboys of Malegaon – Varun Grover

Best Hairstyling & Make-Up

Chhaava – Shrikant Desai

Dhurandhar – Preetisheel Singh D’souza

Emergency – Elizabeth Lawson Zeiss, Dhananjay M. Prajapat

Homebound – Khyati Malhotra

Superboys of Malegaon – Tarannum Khan, Avan Contractor, Dianne Commissariat

Best Lyrics

Dhurandhar – Gehra Hua – Irshad Kamil

Gustaakh Ishq – Ul Julool Ishq – Gulzar

Homebound – Yaar Mere – Varun Grover

Saiyaara – Saiyaara Title Track – Irshad Kamil

Superboys of Malegaon – Bande – Javed Akhtar

Best OTT Film

Mrs – Jyoti Deshpande, Harman Baweja, Pammi Baweja, Smitha Baliga

Raat Akeli Hai – The Bansal Murders – Ronnie Screwvala, Honey Trehan, Abhishek Chaubey

Stolen – Gaurav Dhingra

The Great Shamsuddin Family – Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare, Mahmood Farooqui

The Mehta Boys – Boman Irani, Danesh Irani, Shujaat Saudagar, Vikesh Bhutani

Best Playback Singer (Female)

Dhurandhar – Shararat – Jasmine Sandlas, Madhubanti Bagchi

Metro… In Dino – Qayde Se – Shreya Ghosal

Saiyaara – Saiyaara Title Track – Shreya Ghosal

Saiyaara – Barbaad – Shilpa Rao

Saiyaara – Humsafar – Parampara Tandon

Best Playback Singer (Male)

Dhurandhar – Dhurandhar Title Track – Hanumankind, Sudhir Yaduvanshi, Shashwat Sachdev, Mohd. Sadiq

Dhurandhar – Gehra Hua – Arijit Singh, Shashwat Sachdev, Armaan Khan

Saiyaara – Saiyaara Title Track – Faheem Abdullah

Saiyaara – Dhun – Arijit Singh

Saiyaara – Barbaad – Jubin Nautiyal

Best Production Design

Chhaava – Subrata Chakraborty, Amit Ray

Dhurandhar – Saini S. Johray

Gustaakh Ishq – Madhumita Sen, Ajay Sharma (EASEEL)

Homebound – Khyatee Kanchan

Superboys of Malegaon – Sally White

Haq – Sonam Singh, Abhijit Gaonkar (Megamind Studio)

Kesari Chapter 2 – Rita Ghosh

Best Script – OTT film

Mrs – Harman Baweja, Anu Singh Choudhary, Arati Kadav

Raat Akeli Hai – The Bansal Murders – Smita Singh

Songs of Paradise – Danish Renzu, Sunayana Kachroo, Niranjan Iyengar

Stolen – Karan Tejpal, Gaurav Dhingra, Swapnil Salkar (AGADBUMB)

The Mehta Boys – Alexander Dinelaris, Boman Irani

Best Song

Dhurandhar – Dhurandhar Title Track – Shashwat Sachdev, Charanjit Ahuja

Dhurandhar – Gehra Hua – Shashwat Sachdev

Saiyaara – Saiyaara Title Track – Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah, Arslan Nizami

Saiyaara – Barbaad – The Rish

Saiyaara – Humsafar – Sachet-Parampara

Best Sound Design

Chhaava – Bishwadeep Chatterjee

Dhurandhar – Bishwadeep Chatterjee

Homebound – Sanjay Maurya, Allwin Rego

Humans in the Loop -Kalhan Raina

Saiyaara – Ganesh Gangadharan (YRF Studios)

Best Special Effects

120 Bahadur – NOLABEL, Frame X VFX Studio, Snow Team, Vishal Tyagi, Manish Tyagi

Chhaava – Somesh Samit Ghosh, Gary Brown, Simon Frame, Vishal Tyagi, Manish Tyagi

Dhurandhar – Envision VFX, Philm CGI, Resonance Digital, Dhruti Ranjan Sahoo, Vishal Tyagi, Raza Mohammed Shaikh

Jugnuma: The Fable – Varun Ramanna

Thamma – James Austin, Somesh Ghosh, Kunal Jagdish Sodha, D. Nishtha Varsha, Vishal Tyagi

Breakthrough Debut Director

Shazia Iqbal – Dhadak 2

Dibakar Das Roy – Dilli Dark

Aranya Sahay – Humans in the Loop

Karan Singh Tyagi – Kesari Chapter 2

Karan Kandhari – Sister Midnight

Breakthrough New Actor (Female)

Rasha Thadani – Azaad

Sara Arjun – Dhurandhar

Ridhima Singh – Humans in the Loop

Aneet Padda – Saiyaara

Shubhangi Dutt – Tanvi the Great

Breakthrough New Actor (Male)

Mohit Agarwal – Agra

Aaman Devgan – Azaad

Samuel Abiola Robinson – Dilli Dark

Aaishvary Thackeray – Nishaanchi

Ahaan Panday – Saiyaara

Watch Chetak Screen Awards 2026 LIVE on YouTube, Sony Entertainment Television, and Sony LIV on April 5 at 8 pm.