R ARIVANANTHAM
It’s not just a nomination list — it’s a cinematic census of a year that refused to play by rules. At the heart of it stands Dhurandhar, sweeping in with 24 nominations and the swagger of a film that has clearly struck a chord across craft and commerce.
The Chetak Screen Awards 2026, curated by the Screen Academy under The Indian Express Group, spotlight a year where storytelling stretched across formats, tones and territories.
- 24 nominations put Dhurandhar in pole position in a wide-open awards race
- Saiyaara and Homebound emerge as formidable challengers
- From theatrical spectacle to OTT nuance, 2025 storytelling breaks silos
- Robust, bias-resistant scoring system strengthens credibility of honours
- Historic live global broadcast signals a new era for Indian film awards
Hot on Dhurandhar’s trail is Saiyaara with 17 nominations, while Homebound secures 15 — setting up a compelling three-way contest that cuts across genres.
Academy Member (on background): “This year isn’t about one dominant narrative. It’s about many strong voices competing on equal footing.”
A credible, future-ready awards blueprint
The Screen Awards double down on process as much as popularity. With over 95% participation from its members, each category is evaluated using a trimmed mean (“Olympic average”) scoring system — ensuring fairness by neutralising outliers.
Screen Academy Spokesperson: “Integrity is the backbone. The methodology ensures that excellence rises without bias or influence.”
Academic depth comes via Priya Jaikumar of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, who crafted a detailed scoring rubric — a rare blend of scholarship and industry insight.
Cinema goes global, live
In a significant shift, the ceremony will be streamed live worldwide on YouTube, alongside broadcasts on Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV — marking the first such open-access telecast in two decades.
Organisers: “Indian cinema deserves a global stage — not delayed, not filtered, but live and immediate.”
FULL NOMINATIONS LIST
Best Action
• 120 Bahadur
• Chhaava
• Deva
• Dhurandhar
• Jaat
Best Actor (Female)
• Triptii Dimri – Dhadak 2
• Yami Gautam – 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
• Farida Jalal – The Great Shamsuddin Family
• 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
• Dhurandhar
• Haq
• Homebound
• Saiyaara
Best Choreography
• Ui Amma – Azaad
• Bhasad Macha – Deva
• Shararat – Dhurandhar
• Panwadi Song – Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari
• Dilbar Ki Aankhon Ka – Thamma
Best Cinematography
• Dhurandhar
• Homebound
• Humans in the Loop
• Jugnuma: The Fable
• Superboys of Malegaon
Best Costume
• Chhaava
• Dhurandhar
• Gustaakh Ishq
• Homebound
• Superboys of Malegaon
Best Dialogue
• Dhurandhar
• Haq
• Homebound
• Jolly LLB 3
• Superboys of Malegaon
Best Director
• Laxman Ramchandra Utekar – Chhaava
• Aditya Dhar – Dhurandhar
• Suparn S Varma – Haq
• Neeraj Ghaywan – Homebound
• Raam Reddy – The Fable (Jugnuma)
• 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
• Haq
• Homebound
• Saiyaara
• Superboys of Malegaon
Best Film
• Dhadak 2
• Dhurandhar
• Haq
• Homebound
• Saiyaara
• Sitaare Zameen Par
• Superboys of Malegaon
• Chhaava
The Big Picture
Awards may crown winners, but this list celebrates a transition — where Hindi cinema is no longer confined to formulas, but thrives on fearless storytelling across platforms.
As Dhurandhar leads, Saiyaara enchants and Homebound resonates, April 5 promises not just verdicts — but validation of a cinematic renaissance.
