IIFA Awards 2026: Dhurandhar wins 12, Ranveer Singh and Aneet Padda top

Dhurandhar won 12 awards at the 26th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards on Friday, October 30, 2026, sweeping the main categories. It took Best Picture, Best Director for Aditya Dhar and Best Actor for Ranveer Singh, while Aneet Padda won Best Actress for Saiyaara. Sanjay Dutt won Best Supporting Actor and Akshaye Khanna won Best Actor in a Negative Role, both for Dhurandhar. In the awards for films released directly on digital platforms, Baramulla won Best Picture.

When one film wins a dozen awards, including picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor and music, it signals that the industry and the audiences who vote in the popular categories have settled on it as the defining Hindi film of the year. For Aditya Dhar, who directed Dhurandhar and is credited among its producers, it is a major recognition.

The acting results show two generations being rewarded together. Ranveer Singh took the top male award, while Aneet Padda won Best Actress for Saiyaara. The debut awards for Rasha Thadani and Ahaan Panday add to the sense that the industry is introducing new faces. Sanjay Dutt and Akshaye Khanna were rewarded for supporting and negative roles in the same film, showing how much of Dhurandhar's success rested on its ensemble.

The digital awards are also worth noticing. Separate honours for films released straight to streaming platforms recognise that a large part of Hindi film viewing now happens at home. Baramulla's win for both Best Picture and Best Story (Original) in that section, and two awards for Stolen, show that streaming releases are being judged on the same terms as cinema releases.

The music award for Shashwat Sachdev adds a craft honour to Dhurandhar's tally, and the Best International Film award for Avatar: Fire & Ash reflects how large Hollywood releases now play to Indian audiences alongside Hindi films. Together, the popular, technical and digital categories give a broad picture of a year in which a single theatrical film dominated while streaming titles built their own track record.

For viewers, award sweeps tend to send people back to the winning films. Both Dhurandhar and Saiyaara are likely to see renewed interest on streaming services after the ceremony.

Short-term: The winners' films are likely to gain fresh viewing and social media attention over the weekend. Producers and streaming platforms often use award wins in promotion.

Long-term: Wins at major awards can shape actors' and directors' next projects and fees. For new names such as Aneet Padda, Rasha Thadani and Ahaan Panday, early recognition can open doors to bigger films.

Who is affected: The winning actors, directors, producers and technicians; the studios behind Dhurandhar and Saiyaara; streaming platforms that host the winning films; and audiences who follow Hindi cinema in India and abroad.

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