The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has announced the nominees for its 17th edition, with Sitaare Zameen Par, Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, Saiyaara, Members of the Problematic Family, and Not a Hero emerging as some of the strongest contenders across multiple award categories.
Set to take place from August 13 to August 23, 2026, the festival celebrates Indian cinema and streaming productions from diverse languages and regions.
Backed by the Victorian Government, IFFM is regarded as one of the world’s largest international festivals dedicated exclusively to Indian films.
This year’s nominations span theatrical releases as well as content from over-the-top (OTT) platforms. The announced categories include Best Film, Best Indie Film, Best Director, acting honours, Best Series, Best Documentary Film, and Best Film from the Subcontinent.
Competing for the Best Film award are Haq, Jarann, Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Saiyaara, Sitaare Zameen Par, Sharthopor, and The Great Shamsuddin Family.
The Best Indie Film category features Ammang Haelbeda (Don’t Tell Mother), Full Plate, Kikkran De Phull (Flowers of Acacia), Lala and Poppy, Mayilaa – Semmalar Annam, Members of the Problematic Family, Not a Hero, and Pankhudiyaan (Petals in the Wind).
In the race for Best Director are Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (System), Chandrasish Ray (Porshi), Mohit Suri (Saiyaara), Ramalingam Gowtham (Members of the Problematic Family), Rima Das (Not a Hero), Rishab Shetty (Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1), RS Prasanna (Sitaare Zameen Par), and Shazia Iqbal (Dhadak 2).
The Best Performance (Male) nominees are Aamir Khan, Ahaan Pandey, Bhuman Bhargav Das, Dulquer Salmaan, Mammootty, Ranveer Singh, Rishab Shetty, and Sanjay Mishra. Contending for Best Performance (Female) are Aneet Padda, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Kirti Kulhari, Neena Gupta, Rajshri Deshpande, Rani Mukerji, Rituparna Sengupta, and Yami Gautam Dhar.
IFFM has also recognised outstanding streaming productions, with Kohrra: Season 2, Matka King, Sapne Vs Everyone, Freedom at Midnight: Season 2, and The Ba*ds of Bollywood earning nominations in the Best Series category.
Award winners will be chosen by a jury comprising members of Australia’s film industry and cultural community. Alongside the awards presentation, this year’s festival will feature film premieres, special screenings, panel discussions, masterclasses, and a range of industry-focused events.
