The Chetak Screen Awards 2026 took place in Mumbai on Sunday, honoring notable figures from the Indian film industry who passed away in 2025. The ceremony featured an emotional ‘In Memoriam’ segment, set to the poignant melody of “Ek Pyar Ka Naghma Hai” from the film Shor, showcasing images of the departed artists one by one.
Remembered during this tribute were actor-director Manoj Kumar, along with actors Dharmendra, Asrani, Kamini Kaushal, Satish Shah, Sulakshana Pandit, Pankaj Dheer, Mukul Dev, Rakesh Pandey, Dheeraj Kumar, Achyut Potdar, Deb Mukherjee, and Shefali Jariwala.
Additionally, the segment honored singer Zubeen Garg, who sadly passed away at the age of 52 in Singapore. Directors Chandra Barot and Partho Ghosh were also acknowledged. The tribute extended to producer Saravanan and media figure Pritish Nandy.
The Chetak Screen Awards celebrated the finest achievements in cinema and OTT platforms, with selections made by the esteemed members of the Screen Academy, an independent organization comprised of 53 distinguished filmmakers, artists, and cultural figures. Nominees were recognized across 31 categories through a rigorous evaluation process.
Dr. Priya Jaikumar, Chair of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and a scholar-in-residence at the Screen Academy, developed a comprehensive grading system for the Academy members to assess the nominees. Evaluations were based on creativity, technical proficiency, viewer engagement, and innovative contributions.
The awards ceremony was co-hosted by Alia Bhatt, Sunil Grover, Zakir Khan, and Saurabh Dwivedi.
Viewers can catch the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 live on YouTube, Sony Entertainment Television, and Sony LIV. For ongoing updates from the world of cinema, click here to subscribe to Screen Digital on YouTube.
