Jaipur: The nominations for Cinema of the Year (CTA) – Indian Cinema Awards (ICA) 2025, presented by the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) and the New Delhi Film Festival (NDFF), were announced on Tuesday, recognising outstanding Hindi films released in 2025.
The awards aim to honour excellence in Indian cinema, with a separate phase for South Indian films to be announced later.
According to the organisers, the selection process was conducted by a jury comprising three film industry professionals, an AI system, and a representative of the organising committee.
In the Best Film category, nominees include Dhurandhar, Haq, Humans in the Loop, Jugnuma – The Fable, The Mehta Boys, and Metro… In Dino. A wide range of artists and technicians have also been recognised across categories such as direction, acting, writing, music, cinematography, and editing.
Founder-director Hanu Roj said the nominations reflect the diversity, contemporary themes, and creative experimentation in Indian cinema. He added that the awards seek to provide a platform for films and artists that have made a significant impact on audiences and critics.
Spokesperson Nitin Sharma emphasised that the awards process is “completely democratic and transparent”, with no scope for external influence. “Work speaks for itself,” he said.
Among key categories, Aditya Dhar (Dhurandhar), Boman Irani (The Mehta Boys), Suparn Varma (Haq), Aranya Sahay (Humans in the Loop), and Subhash Kapoor (Jolly LLB 3) have been nominated for Best Director.
For Best Actor, nominees include Manoj Bajpayee (Jugnuma), Akshaye Khanna (Dhurandhar/Chhaava), Vicky Kaushal (Chhaava), Vijay Varma (Gustaakh Ishq), and Boman Irani (The Mehta Boys). In the Best Actress category, Yami Gautam (Haq), Simrat Kaur (The Bengal Files), Aneet Padda (Saiyaara), Bhasha Sumbli (Baramulla), and Priyanka Bose (Agra) have been shortlisted.
Technical categories feature nominations for films such as Saiyaara, War 2, Chhaava, and Param Sundari across music, cinematography, editing, and visual effects.
Special mentions include Mahavatar Narsimha for Best Animation Film, while Haq and Mahavatar Narsimha have been recognised in the Best Producer category. In the OTT segment, The Mehta Boys, Songs of Paradise, Stolen, and Baramulla have been nominated.
The organisers confirmed that no physical ceremony or cultural event will be organised for the awards this year. Winners of ICA 2025 will be announced shortly.
