The Chetak Screen Awards 2026 recently concluded, honouring the year's most remarkable achievements in Indian cinema. The ceremony was a grand affair, celebrating talent across various categories from performances to technical brilliance. This year, one film, 'Dhurandhar', made a phenomenal impact by sweeping an astounding 14 trophies, solidifying its position as the biggest winner of the night. While 'Dhurandhar' excelled across technical and acting segments, the prestigious Best Film award was secured by 'Homebound', indicating a balanced recognition of cinematic excellence within the industry.
Major Award Winners:
The most anticipated awards saw a diverse set of winners, highlighting standout performances and directorial prowess.
• Best Film: Homebound
• Best Actor (Female): Yami Gautam Dhar – Haq
• Best Actor (Male): Ranveer Singh – Dhurandhar
• Best Director: Aditya Dhar – Dhurandhar
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Shalini Vatsa – Homebound
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Akshaye Khanna – Dhurandhar
Technical Triumphs for Dhurandhar:
'Dhurandhar's' dominance was particularly evident in the technical categories, showcasing its robust production and creative execution. The film garnered multiple accolades for its craftsmanship:
• Best Action: Aejaz Gulab, Sea Young Oh, Yannick Ben, Ramazan Bulut
• Best Background Score: Shashwat Sachdev
• Best Choreography: Vijay Ganguly – ‘Shararat’ (Dhurandhar)
• Best Cinematography: Vikash Nowlakha
• Best Costume: Smriti Chauhan – Dhurandhar (shared with Sheetal Iqbal Sharma for Chhaava)
• Best Dialogue: Aditya Dhar
• Best Editing: Shivkumar V. Panicker
• Best Hairstyling and Make-Up: Preetisheel Singh D'Souza
• Best Production Design: Saini S. Johray
• Best Sound Design: Bishwadeep Chatterjee
• Best Special Effects: Envision VFX, Philm CGI, Resonance Digital, Dhruti Ranjan Sahoo, Vishal Tyagi, Raza Mohammed Shaikh
Writing and Special Recognition:
The awards also acknowledged excellence in storytelling and social impact:
• Best Film for Gender Sensitivity: Haq – Vineet Jain, Vishal Gurnani, Harman Baweja, Juhi Parekh Mehta, Amrita Pandey, Suparn S Varma, Rowena Baweja, Sandeep Singh
• Best Film Writing (Story and Screenplay): Basharat Peer, Neeraj Ghaywan, Sumit Roy – Homebound
Musical Acclaim:
Music played a vital role in captivating audiences, and the awards celebrated the best in this category:
• Best Song: “Title Track” – ‘Saiyaara’ (Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah, Arslan Nizami)
• Best Lyrics: Gulzar – Ul Julool Ishq
• Best Playback Singer (Male): Faheem Abdullah – ‘Saiyaara Title Track’
• Best Playback Singer (Female): Shreya Ghoshal – ‘Saiyaara Title Track’
Breakthrough Talent:
The ceremony also recognised emerging stars and directorial talents who made significant debuts:
• Breakthrough Debut Director: Shazia Iqbal – Dhadak 2
• Breakthrough New Actor (Female): Aneet Padda – Saiyaara
• Breakthrough New Actor (Male): Ahaan Panday – Saiyaara
OTT Category Wins:
With the growing prominence of streaming platforms, the Chetak Screen Awards also honoured achievements in the OTT space, with 'Stolen' making a significant mark:
• Best OTT Film: Stolen – Gaurav Dhingra
• Best Actor (Female) – OTT Film: Sanya Malhotra – Mrs.
• Best Actor (Male) – OTT Film: Abhishek Banerjee – Stolen
• Best Director – OTT Film: Karan Tejpal – Stolen
• Best Script – OTT Film: Karan Tejpal, Gaurav Dhingra, Swapnil Salkar – Stolen
Overall, the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 was a night of grand celebrations, with 'Dhurandhar' leading the pack with an impressive 14 wins, while 'Homebound' secured the prestigious Best Film award. Other notable titles like 'Saiyaara' and 'Stolen' also garnered significant recognition across both theatrical and streaming categories, marking a memorable year for Indian cinema.
