The Chetak Screen Awards 2026 took place on Sunday in Mumbai, celebrating outstanding achievements in cinema. The award for Best Film for Gender Sensitivity was awarded to “Haq,” which distinguished itself as the leading film in addressing gender issues among the 2025 releases.
This category featured a selection of the year’s most impactful and socially aware films. Contenders included “Dhadak 2,” “Humans in the Loop,” “Mrs,” and “The Great Shamsuddin Family,” all of which contributed to the discourse on gender portrayal in cinema. Ultimately, the Screen Academy determined that “Haq” made the most significant contribution to this vital conversation.
The cast and crew of “Haq” received the accolade from renowned actor Boman Irani. The ceremony was hosted by prominent figures including Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, comedians Zakir Khan and Sunil Grover, along with distinguished journalist Saurabh Dwivedi, the Hindi editor for The Indian Express.
Established by The Indian Express Group, the Chetak Screen Awards aim to foster an environment free from commercial influences. The nominations and winners are selected by the Screen Academy, a non-profit and independent consortium of 53 respected filmmakers, artists, and cultural commentators, ensuring an unbiased selection process.
The voting process was informed by evaluation criteria formulated by Dr. Priya Jaikumar, a film scholar at the University of Southern California, which introduced a level of academic scrutiny that is uncommon in mainstream film awards. Notable members of the Screen Academy include Shoojit Sircar, Deepa Mehta, Sriram Raghavan, Ram Madhvani, Guneet Monga Kapoor, John Abraham, Kabir Khan, Karan Johar, Mukesh Chhabra, Payal Kapadia, Prosenjit Chatterjee, RS Prasanna, Rajiv Menon, Rajkumar Hirani, Resul Pookutty, Rima Das, and Vidya Balan, among others.
Viewers can catch the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 live on YouTube, Sony Entertainment Television, and Sony LIV.
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