Some festivals come and go quietly. The Jagran Film Festival 2026 did not. This year's winners list has a film chosen as India's Oscar entry, a young star taking Best Actor, and big OTT names walking away with trophies. Honestly, a few wins made me smile. So if you missed the announcements, don't worry. Here is everything you need to know about who took home what.

Jagran Film Festival 2026 Winners

From theatrical releases to OTT hits, this year's winners cover both the big screen and streaming. Here's the full list, category by category.

Feature Films (Theatrical)

  • Best Film: Gondhal (directed by Nitin Supekar; also selected as India's official entry for the Oscars)
  • Best Actor: Vedang Raina (Main Vaapas Aaunga)
  • Best Director: Imtiaz Ali (Main Vaapas Aaunga)
  • Best Music Director: Sadhu S. Tiwari (for the viral song 'Parvati' from the hit movie Hanuman Ansh)
  • Best Screenplay: Main Vaapas Aaunga
  • Best Editing: Main Vaapas Aaunga
  • Best Cinematography: Phule

Digital & OTT Category Winner List

Best Series: Operation Safed Sagar (Netflix)
Best Actor (OTT – Male): Siddharth (Operation Safed Sagar)
Best Actor (OTT – Female): Radhika Apte
Best Film (OTT): Saali Mohabbat

Additional Feature Film Winners

Outstanding Film (India): Past Tense (directed by Anant Narayan Mahadevan)
Best Short Film: Gamdhani 7.1 (directed by Omguru)
Excellence in the Art of Visual Storytelling: M. B. Shetty (posthumous honour accepted by his son, Rohit Shetty)

The Jagran Film Festival Awards 2026 put the spotlight on both the big screen and OTT. Radhika Apte's win and Gondhal's Best Film honour are getting attention, while Imtiaz Ali's Best Director nod adds to the buzz. It will be interesting to see how these winners shape the year ahead.

 

(Image Credits: Instagram)
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