The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 was a dazzling celebration of Indian cinema, as stars gathered to honor the best in the industry at the much-anticipated Awards Night. Emotions ran high, and excitement filled the venue, especially when Neeraj Ghaywan’s touching film Homebound walked away with both Best Film and Best Director awards.
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan received the prestigious Excellence in Cinema Award, acknowledging his significant contributions to Indian film. Aamir shared his heartfelt gratitude, saying, “From a young age, storytelling has called to me. Filmmaking is a team effort, and this award reflects the tremendous support from my writers, directors, co-stars, and audiences who have allowed me to share these amazing stories.”
In a touching moment, Abhishek Bachchan won Best Actor (Male) for his performance in I Want to Talk. Overwhelmed with emotion, he remarked, “This award means so much to me. I first came to this festival in 2022 and received an excellence award. Now, being recognized for a role close to my heart is something special. It was here that Shoojit Da offered me this role, which is a tribute to my father and daughter.”
The event showcased the diversity and richness of Indian storytelling, with Homebound winning the top honors. The film Angammal was named Best Indie Film, and Gugun Kigpen received a Special Mention for Boong. Geetha Kailasam was honored as Best Actor (Female) for her role in Angammal.
In television awards, Black Warrant received Best Series. Jaideep Ahlawat was awarded Best Actor (Male) for his work in Paatal Lok Season 2, while Nimisha Sajayan took home Best Actor (Female) for Dabba Cartel. Jaideep expressed how meaningful this recognition is, saying, “Winning at IFFM is an incredible honor, and this award belongs to the whole team that made Paatal Lok possible.”
Additionally, several special awards were given, including the Leadership in Cinema Award to Arvind Swamy, who expressed his ongoing love for cinema and desire for challenging roles. Vir Das received the Disruptor Award, while Aditi Rao Hydari was recognized for her advocacy for diversity in cinema. The film Baksho Bondi was awarded for Equality in Cinema.
The festival also shone a spotlight on short films, with Kalar Pencils from Dhananjay Santosh Goregaonkar being recognized as Best Short Film (India) and Drifters by David Liu winning as Best Short Film (Australia).
Now in its 16th year, IFFM has solidified its reputation as the largest Indian film festival outside of India, bringing together filmmakers, stars, and audiences in a grand celebration of cinema. The festival continues until August 24, with Homebound featured as the closing film.
