Dhurandhar's 14-Award Sweep: Why Reddit Is Calling This Year's Bollywood Awards a Closed-Door Affair

"The right films mostly won. The night still felt like a board meeting. That's the real problem with Bollywood's 2026 awards season."

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

At a recent major Bollywood awards ceremony, Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar dominated with 14 awards, while Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound secured Best Film. Ranveer Singh took Best Actor for Dhurandhar; Yami Gautam won Best Actress for Haq; Aneet Padda received Best Debut Female for Saiyaara. Alia Bhatt co-hosted alongside comedians Sunil Grover and Zakir Khan, which drew mixed reviews from viewers. Several prominent stars were absent, fuelling boycott rumours on Reddit. The ceremony streamed on SonyLIV in India and was available globally via the SonyLIV app.

THE INSIDER TAKE

The backlash isn't actually about the winners — Ranveer Singh's Best Actor win was broadly accepted as overdue and earned. The problem is structural: when the same franchise sweeps 14 categories, audiences can't distinguish merit from network effects. And when A-list stars skip unless guaranteed a win, the entire institution loses legitimacy. Alia Bhatt hosting was a defensive choice — using her as a palatable industry insider to smooth over an insider-heavy evening.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Bollywood awards have been losing credibility for over a decade. The 2026 backlash is the loudest version of a conversation that's been building. If the industry doesn't reform the voting structure — or at minimum bring genuine transparency — streaming-era audiences who can compare directly with international award shows will simply stop watching. Viewership numbers for this ceremony will be the tell.

WHAT FANS ARE MISSING

Aneet Padda's Best Debut win for Saiyaara was arguably the most deserving result of the night — and almost nobody covered it because the Dhurandhar sweep narrative consumed all the oxygen. Her work in Saiyaara is worth revisiting independently of the awards controversy.

■ QUICK FACTS

• Biggest Winner: Dhurandhar (14 awards)

• Best Film: Homebound (dir. Neeraj Ghaywan)

• Best Actor: Ranveer Singh (Dhurandhar)

• Best Actress: Yami Gautam (Haq)

• Best Debut Female: Aneet Padda (Saiyaara)

• Platform: SonyLIV (India & globally via SonyLIV international)

FANS ALSO ASKED

Q: Did Dhurandhar win Best Film at the 2026 Bollywood awards?

A: No — Best Film went to Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound. Dhurandhar swept 14 other awards but did not take the top prize.

Q: Who won Best Actor at the 2026 Bollywood awards?

A: Ranveer Singh won Best Actor for his performance in Dhurandhar, a result widely considered merit-based despite controversy around the ceremony's broader optics.

Q: Why are people criticising the 2026 Bollywood awards?

A: Critics point to the insider-heavy feel of the ceremony, the absence of several A-list stars, and Dhurandhar's 14-award sweep as evidence that the awards favour commercial power over genuine cinematic merit.

Q: Where can I watch the 2026 Bollywood awards?

A: The ceremony streamed on SonyLIV in India. International viewers can access it via the SonyLIV global app.