The 70th Filmfare Awards, held on October 11, 2025, at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena, was a night of glitz, nostalgia, and celebration, with Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies emerging as the biggest winner of the evening. The film, a critical and commercial darling, secured the coveted Best Film award, setting the tone for a ceremony that celebrated both established legends and fresh talent.
Hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, and Maniesh Paul, the star-studded event was a fitting tribute to seven decades of cinematic excellence, honoring the best Hindi films of 2024 . If you ever needed proof that content-driven cinema is thriving in Bollywood, this year’s winners list was it.
The Big Winners: Laapataa Ladies Leads the Pack
Laapataa Ladies didn’t just win big; it dominated the proceedings, taking home an impressive 13 awards, a record that underscores its impact . The film’s heartwarming story and sharp execution resonated deeply with both audiences and the jury.
Its wins spanned major categories, including:
- Best Film
- Best Director for Kiran Rao
- Best Supporting Actor for Ravi Kishan
- Best Supporting Actress for Chhaya Kadam
- Best Music Album for Ram Sampath
The film also swept the music categories, with Prashant Pandey winning Best Lyrics and Arijit Singh bagging Best Playback Singer (Male) for the soulful track “Sajni” .
Acting Honors: A Tie and Triumphant Returns
The night’s most surprising and exciting moment was in the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) category, which ended in a tie.
- Kartik Aaryan won for his transformative performance in the biopic Chandu Champion .
- Abhishek Bachchan shared the honor, winning for his powerful role in I Want To Talk . This win marks a significant milestone, being Bachchan’s first Filmfare award for Best Actor.
In the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) category, Alia Bhatt continued her winning streak, taking home the Black Lady for her role in the jailbreak thriller Jigra .
The Critics’ Choice awards also highlighted powerful performances, with Rajkummar Rao winning Best Actor (Critics) for Srikanth and Pratibha Ranta being named Best Actress (Critics) for her role in Laapataa Ladies .
Debut Delights and Technical Prowess
The awards also put a spotlight on new talent. Lakshya was named Best Male Debut for the high-octane action film Kill, while Nitanshi Goel won Best Female Debut for Laapataa Ladies . The Best Debut Director award was shared by Kunal Kemmu for Madgaon Express and Aditya Suhas Jambhale for Article 370 .
While Laapataa Ladies ruled the main categories, the action thriller Kill was the undisputed champion in the technical sphere, winning six awards . Its wins included Best Cinematography (Rafey Mehmood), Best Editing (Shivkumar V. Panicker), Best Sound Design (Subash Sahoo), and Best Action (Seayoung Oh and Parvez Shaikh) .
A Night of Legacy and Lore
The ceremony paid a moving tribute to the legends of Indian cinema. The Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred upon veteran actor Zeenat Aman and, posthumously, to legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal . The legacy of icons like Dilip Kumar, Nutan, and Meena Kumari was also celebrated with the Cine Icon Award .
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where were the 70th Filmfare Awards held?
The 70th Filmfare Awards ceremony was held on October 11, 2025, at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad, Gujarat .
2. Who won the Best Film award at Filmfare 2025?
The Best Film award was won by Laapataa Ladies .
3. Did Kartik Aaryan win Best Actor for Chandu Champion?
Yes, Kartik Aaryan won the Best Actor award for his performance in Chandu Champion. He shared the award with Abhishek Bachchan, who won for I Want To Talk .
4. How many awards did Laapataa Ladies win?
Laapataa Ladies won 13 awards, making it the most-awarded film of the night .
5. Who received the Lifetime Achievement Award?
The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to actor Zeenat Aman and filmmaker Shyam Benegal (posthumously) .
A Celebration of Cinematic Diversity
The 70th Filmfare Awards will be remembered as a night that perfectly balanced mass appeal with critical acclaim. It celebrated the box-office success of films like Kill and Stree 2, while reserving its highest honors for the beautifully crafted Laapataa Ladies. The ties in the Best Actor and Best Debut Director categories are a testament to the sheer volume of quality performances and films that 2024 offered.
The message was clear: Bollywood has room for every kind of story. What kind of films do you hope to see winning big next year?
