The nominations position Aditya Dhar’s espionage thriller Dhurandhar—a massive box-office success—as the frontrunner with 24 nods.WITH Indian cinema scaling heights and pushing boundaries, Chetak Screen Awards return on April 5 with a renewed approach and a star-studded evening to honour the best works of 2025.The nominations position Aditya Dhar’s espionage thriller Dhurandhar—a massive box-office success—as the frontrunner with 24 nods. It is followed by Mohit Suri’s romantic musical saga, Saiyaara, with 17 nominations, and Neeraj Ghaywan’s moving tale of friendship, Homebound, with 15.Backed by a powerful blend of editorial credibility, cultural legacy and digital reach, the awards across 31 categories, will spotlight those who have excelled and enriched contemporary Hindi cinema. Driven by The Indian Express Group’s journalism-first ethos, the honours are anchored in integrity and merit.Winners will be chosen by the Screen Academy, an independent, not-for-profit body comprising over 50 acclaimed filmmakers, artists and cultural voices. To ensure rigour and accuracy, Priya Jaikumar, Professor and Chair of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles, has developed a detailed rubric for Academy members to follow while scoring.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.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.Story continues below this adWhile 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.The Best Director Category has an interesting mix as Raam Reddy of Jugnuma: The Fable competes with fellow nominees Utekar (Chhaava), Dhar (Dhurandhar), Varma (Haq), Ghaywan (Homebound), Suri (Saiyaara) and 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 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 Aarti 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).Story continues below this adEstablished 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.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.