The sixth edition of the Filmfare OTT Awards 2025 took place on December 15 in Mumbai, celebrating the finest work across various OTT platforms. The star-studded evening saw the presence of prominent personalities from the entertainment industry, including Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, who graced the event with their presence. The prestigious Black Lady trophy was awarded to actors, directors, showrunners, and technical crew members who demonstrated exceptional talent and made significant contributions to the digital entertainment landscape.
This year's awards saw several productions leaving a lasting impression. 'Paatal Lok Season 2', 'Black Warrant', and 'Khauf' emerged as the biggest winners, securing multiple accolades across various categories, while these series not only captivated audiences with their compelling narratives but also garnered critical acclaim for their high production values and stellar performances. Alongside these major series, web original films such as 'Girls Will Be Girls', 'Stolen', and 'Sector 36' also made a strong impact, showcasing the growing diversity and quality of content available on OTT platforms.
Excellence in the Series Category
In the highly competitive Series Category, 'Paatal Lok Season 2' clinched the coveted Best Series (Critics) award, reaffirming its status as a groundbreaking show, while its intricate storytelling and powerful performances resonated deeply with both viewers and critics. The award for Best Director (Series) was collectively presented to Vikramaditya Motwane, Satyanshu Singh, Arkesh Ajay, Ambika. Pandit, and Rohin Ravindran for their work on 'Black Warrant', highlighting their collaborative brilliance and innovative directorial approach. Anubhav Sinha was honored with the Best Director (Critics, Series) award for 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', a poignant portrayal of a significant historical event, while nagesh Kukunoor received the Best Director (Series) award for 'The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case', recognized for his sensitive and skillful handling of a complex subject.
Shining Stars in Acting
On the acting front, Jaideep Ahlawat delivered a powerful performance in 'Paatal Lok Season 2', earning him the Best Actor (Male), Drama award, while his nuanced portrayal was widely praised by audiences and critics alike. Jahan Kapoor was recognized with the Best Actor (Male), Critics, Drama award for his role in 'Black Warrant', marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning career. Monika Panwar won Best Actor (Female), Drama for her compelling performance in 'Khauf', while Rasika Dugal received the Best Actor (Female), Critics, Drama award for 'Shekhar Home', showcasing her versatility and depth as an actress.
Laughter and Surprises in Comedy
In the Comedy category, 'Raat Jawan Hai' was honored as the Best Comedy Series/Special, delighting audiences with its humor. The Best Actor (Male), Comedy award was jointly presented to Varun Sobti for 'Raat. Jawan Hai' and Sparsh Shrivastava for 'Dupahiya', acknowledging their impeccable comedic timing and performances. However, the most talked-about win in this category was Ananya Panday, who received the Best Actor (Female), Comedy award for 'Call Me Bae'. Her victory sparked considerable discussion among fans on social media, with many. Expressing surprise, making it one of the unexpected highlights of the awards ceremony.
Strong Performances in Supporting Roles
Supporting roles also saw several artists making a significant impact. Rahul Bhatt was awarded Best Supporting Actor (Male), Drama for his memorable performance in 'Black Warrant', while Tillotama Shome won Best Supporting Actor (Female), Drama for her powerful portrayal in 'Paatal Lok Season 2'. In the comedy genre, Vinay Pathak received Best Supporting Actor (Male), Comedy for 'Gram Chikitsalaya', and Renuka Shahane was honored with Best Supporting Actor (Female), Comedy for 'Dupahiya', underscoring the crucial contributions of supporting characters to the overall narrative.
Technical and Creative Excellence
Technical and creative categories also recognized a multitude of talents. 'Angry Young Men' was named Best Non-Fiction Original. The Best Story award was jointly given to Smita Singh for 'Khauf' and Sudip Sharma for 'Paatal Lok Season 2'. 'Paatal Lok Season 2' also secured the Best Original Screenplay award, while 'Black Warrant' was lauded for Best Adapted Screenplay. 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack' received the award for Best Dialogue. 'Khauf' emerged as a technical powerhouse, winning multiple awards including Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Background Music, Best VFX, and Best Sound Design, highlighting the series' overall technical prowess. The Best Music Album award went to 'Bandish Bandits Season 2'.
Debut and Breakthrough Performances
The Filmfare OTT Awards also celebrated new faces and emerging talents. Pushkar Sunil Mahabal was honored with the Best Debut Director (Series) award, marking a promising start to his directorial journey. Anurag Thakur received the Breakthrough Performance (Male) award for 'Black Warrant', while Lisa Mishra was recognized. With the Breakthrough Performance (Female) award for 'Call Me Bae', acknowledging their impressive debuts and potential.
Web Original Film Category Winners
In the Web Original Film category, 'Girls Will Be Girls' was crowned Best Film, with Shuchi Talati also winning Best Director for the same film. 'The Mehta Boys' secured the Best Film (Critics) award, while for acting in web original films, Abhishek Banerjee won Best Actor (Male) for 'Stolen', and Sanya Malhotra received Best Actor (Female) for 'Mrs. '. Vikrant Massey was honored with Best Actor (Male), Critics for 'Sector 36', and Preeti Panigrahi won Best Actor (Female), Critics for 'Girls Will Be Girls'. In supporting roles, Deepak Dobriyal won Best Supporting Actor (Male) for 'Sector 36', and Kani Kusruti received Best Supporting Actor (Female) for 'Girls Will Be Girls', while technically, 'Stolen' won Best Story and Best Cinematography, while 'Ctrl' took home Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Background Music. 'Agni' was awarded Best Dialogue, 'Chori' received Best Sound Design, and 'Aap Jaisa Koi' won Best Music Album. Debut Directors Karan Tejpal ('Stolen') and Aditya Nimbalkar ('Sector 36') were also recognized. Shubham Vardhan ('Chori') received the Breakthrough Performance (Male) award, and Archita Aggarwal ('Dispatch') won Breakthrough Performance (Female).
Honors in the Short Film Category
The Short Film category also saw several talents being recognized, while 'Talaq' won the Best Short Film (People's Choice) award, while 'Aisha' was named Best Short Film (Fiction). 'Langur' received the award for Best Short Film (Non-Fiction/Documentary). In acting for short films, Ayan Khan won Best Actor (Male) for 'Chashma', and Fatima Sana Shaikh received Best Actor (Female) for 'Aisha'. Renuka Shahane was honored with Best Director, Short Film for 'Dhawapatti', highlighting her contribution to short film making. Overall, the Filmfare OTT Awards 2025 presented a grand celebration of creativity and excellence in the dynamic OTT space.
