Aditya Dhar's spy action drama Dhurandhar emerged as the undisputed champion at the IIFA Awards 2026, securing an impressive 12 trophies, including the coveted Best Film title. The 26th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, held on Friday, October 30, celebrated excellence across theatrical releases, technical filmmaking, and the burgeoning digital entertainment landscape.
"Dhurandhar" Sweeps Major Categories
The film's success was highlighted by director Aditya Dhar taking home the Best Director award, while lead actor Ranveer Singh was honored with Best Actor for his compelling performance. Producers Jyoti Deshpande, Aditya Dhar, and Lokesh Dhar were recognized for their work on the Best Film winner. Other significant wins for Dhurandhar included Akshaye Khanna for Best Actor in a Negative Role and Sanjay Dutt for Best Supporting Actor. Shashwat Sachdev received Best Music Direction, and Aditya Dhar also earned Best Original Story.
Dhurandhar's technical prowess was also acknowledged, with Vikash Nowlakha winning Best Cinematography. Aditya Dhar added Best Screenplay and Best Dialogues to his accolades, alongside Shivkumar V. Panicker for Best Editing and Bishwadeep Chatterjee for Best Sound Design, completing its overwhelming success.
Aneet Padda and "Saiyaara" Shine
While Dhurandhar dominated, Aneet Padda made a significant mark by winning Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Saiyaara. The romantic drama also garnered several music awards: Faheem Abdullah was named Best Male Playback Singer for the title track, and Shreya Ghoshal won Best Female Playback Singer for "Saiyaara Reprise." Irshad Kamil received Best Lyrics for the film's title track.
New Talent and Supporting Stars Recognized
The IIFA Awards 2026 also celebrated rising stars, with Ahaan Panday winning Best Male Debut for Saiyaara and Rasha Thadani earning Best Female Debut for her role in Azaad. Huma Qureshi was honored with Best Supporting Actress for her work in Jolly LLB 3.
International and Technical Milestones
Beyond Indian cinema, Avatar: Fire & Ash was recognized as Best International Film. The award for Best Adapted Story went to Basharat Peer, Sumit Roy, and Neeraj Ghaywan for Homebound. Bosco Leslie Martis received Best Choreography for the energetic track “Aavan Jaavan” from War 2.
Technical achievements extended to other films as well. Chhaava secured multiple honors, including A.R. Rahman for Best Background Score, Alok De for Best Sound Mixing, and Assemblage Entertainment and Redefine for Best Visual Effects.
Digital Entertainment Takes Center Stage
Reflecting the evolving media landscape, the awards dedicated significant attention to digital entertainment. In the digital film category, Baramulla won both Best Picture and Best Original Story. Karan Tejpal was awarded Best Direction for Stolen, which also saw Abhishek Banerjee take home Best Performance in a Leading Role (Male). Sanya Malhotra was recognized as Best Performance in a Leading Role (Female) for Mrs.
Web series also saw major wins. The Ba**ds of Bollywood was named Best Series, with Aryan Khan receiving Best Direction. Raghav Juyal and Anya Singh were awarded for their supporting performances in the series. Paatal Lok Season 2 continued its critical acclaim, with Jaideep Ahlawat and Tillotama Shome winning leading performance awards, and the series also securing Best Original Story. Furthermore, The Roshans won Best Docuseries/Docufilm, and The Traitors was honored as Best Reality/Non-Scripted Show, underscoring the growing influence and quality of content on digital platforms.