‘Homebound’ Bags Four Awards, ‘Black Warrant’ Tops Web Series

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound emerged as the biggest winner at the 8th Critics’ Choice Awards , securing four top honours Best Film , Best Director , Best Actor for Vishal Jethwa, and Best Supporting Actress for Shalini Vatsa.

Homebound is a socially grounded drama that explores the lives of people across India who are often overlooked, highlighting their struggles, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity. Accepting the award, Ghaywan said the recognition is deeply meaningful, as the film draws from the lived experiences of people often unseen, and film criticism encourages reflection and growth.

In the web series category, Vikramaditya Motwane’s Black Warrant delivered an equally dominant performance , clinching four awards Best Web Series , Best Director , Best Supporting Actor for Rahul Bhat, and Best Writing for Satyanshu Singh and Arkesh Ajay. The series is a gripping crime thriller that delves into suspenseful, complex narratives , combining intense storytelling with strong performances, making it a standout in the digital space.

Together, Homebound and Black Warrant highlight the diversity of contemporary Indian storytelling, one rooted in social realism and lived experiences, the other in thrilling, edge-of-the-seat entertainment, demonstrating the range and strength of India’s film and digital content industry.

The awards, presented by the Film Critics Guild in association with WPP Motion Entertainment, recognise excellence across feature films, web series, short films, and documentaries . Winners were chosen by a jury of 56 film critics from across India. Among other honours, Priyanka Bose won Best Actress for Agra, Pasupathy received Best Supporting Actor for Bison Kaalamaadan, Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok Season 2) and Monika Panwar (Khauf) won Best Actor and Best Actress in the web series category, and Tillotama Shome won Best Supporting Actress for Paatal Lok Season 2.

The Best Writing (Feature Film) award went to Rohan Parashuram Kanawade for Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears). Technical honours included Sunil Borkar for Best Cinematography (Jugnuma) and Chaman Chakko for Best Editing (Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra). The FCG Gender Sensitivity Award went to Sthal. In short films, Apurva Bardapurkar’s Maaybaapache Aashirwaad (Blessings) led with Best Film , Best Director , and Best Writing , while acting honours went to Sunny Hinduja and Sheeba Chaddha. I, Poppy won Best Documentary , and veteran actor Farida Jalal received the Extraordinary Contribution to Cinema Award for her long and versatile career.