How Screen Awards 2026 Revived The Magic Of Indian Cinema's Award Ceremonies

2026-04-06 09:05:31

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) I can't remember the last time I tuned in to watch an Indian film awards show - an event that once held a permanent spot on my calendar growing up. Back then, I devoured every glimpse into the magical world of Hindi cinema that these ceremonies brought with them. I'm talking about the era of Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan creating a riot on stage with genuine sense of humour and insane crowd interactions.

Then, over the years, the magic got lost. We saw celebrities reveal that awards were not based on merit, but were often handed to those who simply showed up. We were fed the same canned reactions to jokes that didn't always land. Over time, the "secret sauce" of these supposedly credible shows became a public punchline. We stopped taking them very seriously and we stopped being invested in the results.

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But the 2026 Screen Awards, streamed live in a crisp three-hour programme, revived hope in many of these aspects. In the awards ceremony that took place on April 5 in Mumbai, India, there was no fake laughter laced into the edit, no stretched-out jokes and no fabricated reaction shots.

In fact, the authenticity was so evident that a lot of the winners didn't even turn up to collect their trophies, reassuring the audience that the award was based on merit, not a "presence for a prize" deal.

It was also refreshing to see comedians finally getting their due as hosts, which has been the long-standing modus operandi of Western award shows. A happy addition to this was Alia Bhatt. In her first-ever live hosting experience, she was confident and held her own alongside talent gold, such as Zakir Khan and Sunil Grover.

Even Farah Khan joined in, jokingly embracing the "content creator" tag alongside being a renowned choreographer/director, as her YouTube channel - where she cooks at celebrities' homes with her Internet-famous chef Dilip - has been all the rage recently.

Sunil Grover as expected was in "no holds barred" mode, cracking jokes about "Mounjaro, Botox and fillers" as winners in“Best Supporting Role”. His turn as Javed Akhtar, performing as a "Rapid Shayar" instead of a "Rapid Fire" round while the legend himself sat in the front row, showed an audience that can finally laugh at themselves.

Besides light-hearted moments and measured entertainment acts that refreshingly focused on bringing musicians on stage, the ceremony also broke conventional moulds where it mattered. It brought OTT representation into the mainstay conversation, giving several digital awards the same stage as silver screen honours.

Seeing a 77-year-old screen icon like Farida Jalal nominated alongside younger talents like Sanya Malhotra and Shreya Chaudhry is a sight only made possible by the OTT evolution. A beautiful reminder that age, after all, can finally just be a number in an industry where female actors, for time immemorial, have been judged on having "shelf lives”.

While the night was packed with celebration of talent, it was also these breakout moments that truly anchored the ceremony's spirit.

5 moments that stood out:

The Sitare Zameen Par takeover

Seeing the entire cast of actors of determination take centre stage was the heart of the night. As they won the 'Courage in Cinema' award, the ensemble cast claimed their space as the winners broke into a dance (as one rightfully should), waving joyfully at their loved ones from the stage in a moment of pure pride.

Gender Sensitivity category

For the first time, the jury introduced a 'Gender Sensitivity' category to reward responsible storytelling. Seeing the industry finally holding itself accountable for how narratives are shaped felt like a long-overdue progression.

The inaugural award went to Haq, a film that featured a career-defining performance by Yami Gautam Dhar in 2025.

Sanya Malhotra's parents step into the spotlight

Watching Sanya Malhotra's parents receive an award on her behalf (as the actor was away on a shoot) was a genuine, endearing moment, which never once felt like a staged, "force-fed" emotion.

An appropriate ode to the 'He-Man'

Bobby Deol breaking down on stage while receiving a 'Lifetime Achievement' honour for Dharmendra (presented by Javed Akhtar, Ramesh Sippy and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis) moved the entire room to tears.

By describing Dharmendra as a fine balance of great self-respect and utmost humility, Akhtar gave us a glimpse of the man behind the stardom, making the tribute feel deeply personal rather than an obligatory segment.

Vishal Jethwa's sweet poem

While on stage for the 'Best Film' honour with the Homebound team (including Ishaan Khatter, Neeraj Ghaywan, Karan Johar) Vishal Jethwa seized the moment and how. "I prepared my speech for Best Actor," he joked, before reciting a poem about his journey from being an outsider to representing India on the world stage.

Following Homebound's historic Academy Award shortlisting in the International Feature category, Jethwa stood before the likes of Nita Ambani and the CM to speak for every believer who dares to dream against the odds.

Lastly, an award show in India starting on time despite half the big names not having made it to the audience? Sounds so unfathomable that when host Zakir Khan joked about the punctual start in the show's promo, we almost didn't believe it. It was hilarious when Ahaan Panday won the 'Best Debut' award and wasn't there to receive it, Alia Bhatt jokingly attributed his absence to him being stuck in Mumbai traffic.

In an era of "made-for-TV" entertainment, to see something with genuine spirit and celebration gives a renewed sense of hope. Kudos to the actors and directors who showed up to celebrate the magic of the movies, without anticipating a big win. Now, that is a film industry we want to root for.