MUMBAI — The stars descended upon the City of Dreams on April 5 for the prestigious Chetak Screen Awards 2026. Celebrating the pinnacle of Hindi cinema and digital excellence, the gala night was a testament to the evolving landscape of Indian storytelling. While the competition was fierce, the night belonged to the high-octane drama Dhurandhar, which staged a historic sweep, while the critically acclaimed Homebound secured the top honors for filmmaking.
The Big Winners: Acting and Direction
The atmosphere was electric as Ranveer Singh was announced as the Best Actor (Male) for his powerhouse performance in Dhurandhar. On the other hand, Yami Gautam Dhar continued her winning streak, bagging the Best Actor (Female) trophy for her nuanced and impactful portrayal in Haq.
The directorial brilliance of Aditya Dhar was also recognized, as he took home the Best Director award for Dhurandhar. The film’s dominance wasn’t just limited to the leads; it swept through 14 categories, proving to be the undisputed heavyweight of the year.
‘Dhurandhar’ Sweeps Technicals; ‘Homebound’ Claims Best Film
While Dhurandhar dominated the numerical tally, the night’s most coveted prize—Best Film—went to Homebound. The film was praised for its depth, also winning Best Film Writing and a Best Supporting Role (Female) award for Shalini Vatsa.
In the technical arena, Dhurandhar was unstoppable, picking up awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound Design, among others. Meanwhile, the musical landscape was dominated by Saiyaara, with Shreya Ghoshal and Faheem Abdullah winning the playback honors.
Full List of Winners – Chetak Screen Awards 2026
| Category | Winner(s) | Film/Project |
| Best Film | — | Homebound |
| Best Actor (Male) | Ranveer Singh | Dhurandhar |
| Best Actor (Female) | Yami Gautam Dhar | Haq |
| Best Director | Aditya Dhar | Dhurandhar |
| Best Supporting Actor (Male) | Akshaye Khanna | Dhurandhar |
| Best Supporting Actor (Female) | Shalini Vatsa | Homebound |
| Best Film Writing | Basharat Peer, Neeraj Ghaywan, Sumit Roy | Homebound |
| Best Dialogue | Aditya Dhar | Dhurandhar |
| Best Song | Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah, Arslan Nizami | Saiyaara Title Track |
| Best Playback Singer (Male) | Faheem Abdullah | Saiyaara |
| Best Playback Singer (Female) | Shreya Ghoshal | Saiyaara |
| Best Lyrics | Gulzar | Ul Julool Ishq |
| Breakthrough Debut Director | Shazia Iqbal | Dhadak 2 |
| Breakthrough New Actor (Female) | Aneet Padda | Saiyaara |
| Breakthrough New Actor (Male) | Ahaan Panday | Saiyaara |
| Gender Sensitivity Award | — | Haq |
OTT Categories: ‘Stolen’ Steals the Show
The digital segment saw Stolen emerging as the clear leader, winning Best OTT Film and Best Director (OTT) for Karan Tejpal. Abhishek Banerjee earned the Best Actor (Male) trophy for Stolen, while Sanya Malhotra was honored as Best Actor (Female) for her performance in Mrs.
The 2026 edition of the Screen Awards successfully highlighted the balance between commercial blockbusters and thought-provoking independent cinema, ensuring that both the silver screen and streaming platforms received their due credit.
