Screen Awards 2026: Dhurandhar Sweeps, Ranveer Singh Named Best Actor

New Delhi, April 6, 2026: The Chetak Screen Awards 2026 concluded in a star-studded ceremony in Mumbai on April 5, marking a triumphant night for Aditya Dhar’s high-octane spy thriller, Dhurandhar. The film emerged as the undisputed champion of the evening, sweeping a staggering 14 awards, including major honors for its lead actor Ranveer Singh and director Aditya Dhar.

While Dhurandhar dominated the performance and technical categories, Neeraj Ghaywan’s critically acclaimed drama Homebound took home the prestigious Best Film trophy, underscoring a night that balanced commercial blockbusters with auteur-driven storytelling.

The Big Winners: Dhurandhar and Homebound

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar was the talk of the night, proving to be both a box-office juggernaut and a critical favorite. Ranveer Singh was awarded Best Actor (Male) for his intense portrayal of an Indian spy operating in Pakistan. His win was particularly significant given the stiff competition from Vicky Kaushal (Chhaava) and Ishaan Khatter (Homebound).

Aditya Dhar bagged the Best Director award, further cementing his reputation for mounting large-scale, patriotic narratives with technical precision. The film’s supporting cast also saw recognition, with Akshaye Khanna winning Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) for his role as a menacing gangster.

On the other hand, Homebound, backed by Karan Johar and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, won the Best Film award. The movie, which tells a poignant story of friendship during the Covid-19 lockdown, also won for Best Film Writing (Story & Screenplay).

Top Performance Honors

The ceremony celebrated a diverse range of talent across both theatrical and OTT platforms:

• Best Actor (Female): Yami Gautam Dhar won the trophy for her powerful performance in Haq, where she portrayed the landmark legal figure Shah Bano.
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Divya Dutta was honored for her role in the historical epic Chhaava.
• Breakthrough Debut: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda took home the Male and Female debut awards, respectively, for their work in the musical romance Saiyaara.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: The honor was bestowed posthumously upon the legendary Dharmendra. The emotional award was received by his son, Bobby Deol, who moved the audience with a heartfelt tribute to his father’s enduring legacy.

Technical and Musical Excellence

Dhurandhar almost entirely swept the technical categories, winning for Cinematography, Editing, Sound Design, Action, and VFX. However, the music categories saw a split between the year’s biggest hits.

• Best Song: “Saiyaara” (Title Track) by Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah, and Arslan Nizami.
• Best Playback Singer (Male): Faheem Abdullah (Saiyaara).
• Best Playback Singer (Female): Shreya Ghoshal (Saiyaara).
• Best Background Score: A.R. Rahman for Chhaava.

Full List of Winners: Screen Awards 2026

Category	Winner	Film
Best Film	Homebound	Neeraj Ghaywan
Best Director	Aditya Dhar	Dhurandhar
Best Actor (Male)	Ranveer Singh	Dhurandhar
Best Actor (Female)	Yami Gautam Dhar	Haq
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (M)	Akshaye Khanna	Dhurandhar
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (F)	Divya Dutta	Chhaava
Best Film Writing (Story/Screenplay)	Basharat Peer, Neeraj Ghaywan, Sumit Roy	Homebound
Best Cinematography	Vikash Nowlakha	Dhurandhar
Best Editing	Shivkumar V. Panicker	Dhurandhar
Best Action	Amar Shetty	Dhurandhar
Best Playback Singer (Male)	Faheem Abdullah	Saiyaara
Best Playback Singer (Female)	Shreya Ghoshal	Saiyaara
Lifetime Achievement Award	Dharmendra (Posthumous)	—

OTT Categories

The Screen Awards also recognized the growing influence of digital platforms:

• Best Film (OTT): Stolen (Directed by Karan Tejpal).
• Best Actor (Male) – OTT: Abhishek Banerjee (Stolen).
• Best Actor (Female) – OTT: Sanya Malhotra (Mrs.).

The 2026 edition of the Screen Awards was curated by the Screen Academy, an independent body of over 50 industry professionals, ensuring that the winners were chosen through a rigorous peer-review process based on artistic merit and technical craft.