The 17th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) has officially unveiled the nominations for the IFFM Awards 2026, celebrating the best of Indian cinema and streaming content from the past year. Regarded as the largest celebration of Indian cinema outside India, the festival continues to honour exceptional storytelling, memorable performances and creative excellence across multiple languages, genres and platforms.
Scheduled to take place from August 13 to August 23, 2026, with the support of the Victorian Government, this year’s festival promises an expansive line-up of film premieres, special screenings, industry events, panel discussions, masterclasses, cultural celebrations and its much-awaited awards ceremony.
The nominations reflect the remarkable diversity of Indian entertainment, recognising both theatrical releases and OTT productions from across the country. As one of the first major awards events of the season, the IFFM Awards are known for spotlighting cinematic excellence across regional industries while setting the tone for the awards season ahead.
Strong Competition Across Categories
The Best Film category features an eclectic mix of titles, including Haq, Jarann, Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Saiyaara, Sitaare Zameen Par, Sharthopor and The Great Shamsuddin Family.
In the Best Director category, nominees include Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (System), Mohit Suri (Saiyaara), Rishab Shetty (Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1), R.S. Prasanna (Sitaare Zameen Par), Rima Das, Chandrasish Ray, Ramalingam Gowtham and Shazia Iqbal.
The Best Performance (Male) race sees Aamir Khan, Ahaan Pandey, Dulquer Salmaan, Mammootty, Ranveer Singh, Rishab Shetty, Sanjay Mishra and Bhuman Bhargav Das competing for top honours.
Meanwhile, the Best Performance (Female) category features Aneet Padda, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Kirti Kulhari, Neena Gupta, Rajshri Deshpande, Rani Mukerji, Rituparna Sengupta and Yami Gautam Dhar.
OTT Content Receives Equal Spotlight
Continuing its recognition of digital storytelling, IFFM has also announced nominations for the best streaming series. The Best Series category includes Kohrra: Season 2, Matka King, Sapne Vs Everyone, The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, Freedom at Midnight: Season 2, Perfect Family, Baai Tujhyapayi and Real Kashmir Football Club.
The acting categories for web series feature performances from Vijay Varma, Barun Sobti, Kunal Kemmu, Manav Kaul, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Ambrish Verma, Arif Zakaria and Manoj Pawa, while the female nominees include Huma Qureshi, Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal, Mona Singh, Swastika Mukherjee, Seema Pahwa, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli and Anandhi.
Celebrating Diverse Voices
Beyond mainstream cinema, the festival also honours Best Indie Film, Best Documentary Film, and Best Film from the Subcontinent, highlighting stories from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
The winners will be selected by an esteemed jury comprising respected names from Australia’s film and cultural landscape, ensuring a globally informed evaluation process.
Over the years, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has evolved into one of the world’s most significant platforms for Indian cinema, serving as a cultural bridge between India and Australia. With its commitment to showcasing diverse narratives and emerging voices, the 17th edition of IFFM is set to once again celebrate the richness and global appeal of Indian storytelling.
