On Friday, August 16, the 2024 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne took place at the iconic Palais Theatre. The ceremony honours the finest talents in Indian cinema, covering both film and OTT platforms. The Festival, from 15 August to 25 August, continues to present a vibrant array of films that celebrate the diversity and richness of Indian cinema.
Let’s have a look at this year’s award winners:
• Kartik Aaryan received the Best Actor accolade for his compelling portrayal of Murlikant Petkar, India’s inaugural Paralympic gold medallist in “Chandu Champion.”
• Vikrant Massey was celebrated with the Best Performance of the Year award for his role as IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma in “12th Fail,” which also clinched the Best Film title.
• The Best Director award was a shared honour between Kabir Khan for “Chandu Champion” and Nithilan Swaminathan, who earned recognition for his direction of Vijay Sethupathi’s Tamil action-thriller “Maharaja.”
• Parvathy Thiruvothu was named Best Actress for her powerful performance in the Malayalam drama “Ullozhukku.”
• In the critics’ choice segment, “Laapataa Ladies” by Kiran Rao was awarded Best Film for its innovative storytelling, while Dominic Sangma took home the Best Director award for “Rimdogittanga.”
• “Amar Singh Chamkila,” directed by Imtiaz Ali, was named the Breakout Film of the Year. Featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, the film depicts the life of the legendary Punjabi musician.
• Shah Rukh Khan’s “Dunki” was honoured with the Equality in Cinema award. The comedy-drama, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, explores the Donkey Flight illegal immigration method.
• Rasika Dugal and Adarsh Gourav were acknowledged for their roles in cinema, receiving the Diversity Champion and Disruptor in Cinema awards, respectively.
• The series “Kohhra,” starring Survinder Vicky and Barun Sobti, won Best Series. At the same time, Arjun Mathur and Nimisha Sajayan were honoured as Best Actors in a series for their roles in “Made In Heaven Season 2” and “Poacher,” respectively.
• Ram Charan and AR Rahman were also celebrated for their remarkable contributions to cinema.
