The Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations have been officially announced, spotlighting a dynamic mix of mainstream hits, powerful indie projects, and binge-worthy web series. With Superboys of Malegaon and Paatal Lok Season 2 leading the pack, the festival promises to honour cinematic brilliance like never before.
Organised by the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), now in its 16th year, this edition will be held from August 14 to 24, with the awards night scheduled for August 15. Supported by the Victorian Government, the event celebrates Indian cinema’s global influence.
ndian Film Festival 2025 Nominations: Key Highlights
🎬 Best Film Category
The top honours in the Best Film section of the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations include:
- Homebound
- Kalki 2898 AD
- L2: Empuraan
- Maharaj
- Meiyazhagan
- Stree 2
- Superboys of Malegaon
Notably, Superboys of Malegaon has emerged as a crowd favourite, marking its strong presence in the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations.
Best Indie Film Category
- Angammal
- Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox)
- Boong
- Feminichi Fathima (Feminist Fathima)
- Humans in the Loop
- Village Rockstars 2
- We are Faheem and Karun
These films showcase the diversity and grassroots power in Indian filmmaking, a major theme in the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations.
Best Actor (Male) – Films
- Abhishek Bachchan (I Want to Talk)
- Adarsh Gourav (Superboys of Malegaon)
- Gugun Kipgen (Boong)
- Ishaan Khatter (Homebound)
- Junaid Khan (Maharaj)
- Manoj Bajpayee (The Fable)
- Mohanlal (L2: Empuraan)
- Vishal Jethwa (Homebound)
Adarsh Gourav’s standout performance in Superboys of Malegaon adds to its dominance in the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations.
Best Actor (Female) – Films
- Anjali Sivaraman (Bad Girl)
- Bhanita Das (Village Rockstars 2)
- Geetha Kailasam (Angammal)
- Kareena Kapoor Khan (The Buckingham Murders)
- Shamla Hamza (Feminichi Fathima)
- Sharmila Tagore (Puratawn)
- Shraddha Kapoor (Stree 2)
- Tillotama Shome (Baksho Bondi)
Best Director
- Aranya Sahay – Humans in the Loop
- Lakshmipriya Devi – Boong
- Neeraj Ghaywan – Homebound
- Onir – We are Faheem and Karun
- Reema Kagti – Superboys of Malegaon
- Rima Das – Village Rockstars 2
- Varsha Bharath – Bad Girls
- Vipin Radhakrishnan – Angammal
Reema Kagti gets a nod once again in the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations for directing the heartwarming Superboys of Malegaon.
Best Web Series Nominations
- Black Warrant
- Gyaarah Gyaarah
- Khauf
- Kota Factory Season 3
- Manorathangal
- Paatal Lok Season 2
- Thallivattam Palayam
- Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper
Paatal Lok 2 and Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper stand out in the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations for OTT excellence.
Best Actor (Female) – Web Series
- Ananya Pandey (Call Me Bae)
- Monika Panwar (Khauf)
- Nimisha Sajayan (Dabba Cartel)
- Parvathy Thiruvothu (Manorathangal)
- Rasika Dugal (Mirzapur Season 3)
- Shabana Azmi (Dabba Cartel)
- Tillotama Shome (Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper)
Best Actor (Male) – Web Series
- Abhishek Kumar (Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam)
- Ali Fazal (Mirzapur Season 3)
- Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok Season 2)
- Jitendra Kumar (Kota Factory Season 3)
- Mammootty (Manorathangal)
- Manav Kaul (Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper)
- Zahaan Kapoor (Black Warrant)
Jury & Eligibility
The jury includes acclaimed Australian cinema experts like Garth Davis and Nadia Tass, adding credibility to the awards. Projects released between June 15, 2024 and June 14, 2025 were eligible. OTT entries had to be accessible in Australia.
Why Indian Film Festival 2025 Nominations Matter
From Superboys of Malegaon to Paatal Lok Season 2, the Indian Film Festival 2025 nominations showcase the finest storytelling and performances across the Indian cinematic and streaming spectrum. With increasing global attention, this festival cements its position as the premier stage for Indian content outside of India.
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