Full List of Winners at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025
The 16th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) concluded on August 24, 2025, with a glittering awards night that celebrated the very best in Indian cinema. The festival, held from August 14 to 24, honoured achievements in films, streaming, and short formats while also recognising stalwarts of the industry with special awards.
The highlight of the evening was filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, which won Best Film, while Ghaywan himself was named Best Director. Independent cinema also made a strong mark with Angammal winning Best Indie Film, and Geetha Kailasam securing Best Actor (Female) – Film for her performance in it. Abhishek Bachchan was awarded Best Actor (Male) – Film for I Want to Talk, while Gugun Kigpen received a Special Mention for his role in Boong.
OTT platforms were strongly represented with Black Warrant winning Best Series. Acting honours went to Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok Season 2) and Nimisha Sajayan (Dabba Cartel).
In addition to competitive awards, the festival honoured stalwarts of Indian cinema. Aamir Khan received the prestigious Excellence in Cinema Award, Arvind Swamy was honoured with the Leadership in Cinema Award, Vir Das with the Disruptor Award, and Aditi Rao Hydari with the Diversity in Cinema Award. The Equality in Cinema Award was presented to Baksho Bondi.
Short films also found recognition with Dhananjay Santosh Goregaonkar winning for Kalar Pencils (India) and David Liu for Drifters (Australia).
Complete List of Winners – IFFM 2025
1. Best Film – Homebound
2. Best Director – Neeraj Ghaywan (Homebound)
Film Categories:
3. Best Actor (Male) – Film – Abhishek Bachchan (I Want to Talk)
4. Best Actor (Female) – Film – Geetha Kailasam (Angammal)
5. Best Indie Film – Angammal
6. Special Mention (Male Actor – Film) – Gugun Kigpen (Boong)
Series Categories:
7. Best Series – Black Warrant
8. Best Actor (Male) – Series – Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok Season 2)
9. Best Actor (Female) – Series – Nimisha Sajayan (Dabba Cartel)
Special Honours:
10. Excellence in Cinema Award – Aamir Khan
11. Leadership in Cinema Award – Arvind Swamy
12. Disruptor Award – Vir Das
13. Diversity in Cinema Award – Aditi Rao Hydari
14. Equality in Cinema Award – Baksho Bondi
Short Films:
15. Best Short Film (India) – Kalar Pencils (Dir. Dhananjay Santosh Goregaonkar)
16. Best Short Film (Australia) – Drifters (Dir. David Liu)
Alongside awards, IFFM 2025 paid tribute to Ritwik Ghatak’s centenary and featured special screenings of Guru Dutt’s classics, with premieres, cultural dialogues, and masterclasses reinforcing its place as one of the most prestigious platforms for Indian cinema on the global stage.
About The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM)
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is the preeminent festival of Indian cinema beyond India, conducted yearly in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 2010, the festival has evolved into a prominent cultural event, highlighting the diversity and complexity of Indian cinema. It was formerly financed by the Victoria State Government. The objective of the film festival is to present Indian cinema to the Australian audience.
