Dhurandhar tops Chetak Screen Awards nominations with 24 nods

The Indian Express Group’s Screen Academy has announced the nominations for the upcoming Chetak Screen Awards, with Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar emerging as the frontrunner with 24 nominations. Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara has secured 17 nominations, while Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound follows with 15 ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for April 5.

The nominations span 31 categories across theatrical and OTT releases, underscoring the expanding scope of Indian storytelling and the growing overlap between cinema and streaming platforms.

Established in 1995, the Screen Awards are governed by the Screen Academy, an independent, not-for-profit body comprising over 50 filmmakers, artistes and cultural voices. This year, over 95 per cent of Academy members participated in the evaluation process, with each category assessed by an average of 38–40 members using a trimmed mean methodology to ensure fairness and neutrality.

To strengthen the evaluation framework, Professor Priya Jaikumar of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts developed a detailed scoring rubric for Academy members.

In a significant shift, the awards will be broadcast live for the first time in two decades. The ceremony will be streamed globally on YouTube and will also air simultaneously on Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV.

Among the key nominations, Vicky Kaushal (Chhaava), Ranveer Singh (Dhurandhar) and Vishal Jethwa (Homebound) feature in the Best Actor (Male) category. In the Best Actor (Female) category, nominees include Triptii Dimri (Dhadak 2), Yami Gautam Dhar (Haq) and Konkona Sen Sharma (Metro… In Dino).

The Best Film category includes Dhurandhar, Saiyaara, Homebound, Dhadak 2, Chhaava and Superboys of Malegaon, among others, reflecting a diverse mix of mainstream and critically acclaimed titles.