The 2023 edition recognizes and honours the best of talent in feature films, short films, and web series along with the nomination list for short films,  series and feature films

Mumbai, 9th March 2023: Motion Content Group, GroupM’s content investment, production, and distribution business in collaboration with Film Critics Guild and Vistas Media Capital had previously announced the 5th edition of the prestigious Critics’ Choice Awards. The awards recognize and honour the best of talent in feature films, short films, and web series every year. 

The Critics’ Choice is an esteemed body of reputed and credible critics from India that acknowledges cinematic work across languages, categories, and formats. Anupama Chopra (Chairperson), Stutee Ghosh (Vice Chairperson), Shomini Sen (Secretary), Ajay Brahmatmaj, Anmol Jamwal, Baradwaj Rangan, Bhawana Somaaya, Rohit Khilnani, Suhani Singh, Udita Jhunjhunwala amongst many others critics across print, radio, broadcast, digital are under this reputed body and they determine some of the best and most pathbreaking work done in cinema in the year.

Ashwin Padmanabhan, President – Trading, Investment and Partnerships, Group M India, said “

We, along with the Film Critics Guild are excited to see such an overwhelming response for rewarding excellence across feature films, OTT series and short films produced in 2022.The Critics’ Choice Awards is a testament to the evolving landscape of Indian entertainment industry and GroupM is proud to work with partner like Film Critics Guild and Vistas Media Capital to offer such a prestigious platform that recognizes and applauds exceptional talent across all formats in our country. As we enter the fifth edition, we look forward to celebrating the diverse and unique voices that have contributed to the growth of the industry and have set new benchmarks for storytelling.”

Anupama Chopra, Chairperson, Film Critics Guild said, “

This year we received an overwhelming number of entries across short films, web series and features, it is heartening to see the quality of storytelling in India in every format. Viewing and shortening it down to our final nominations was no easy task, but we are proud to present the best of Indian short films, cinema, and web series at our upcoming Critics’ Choice Awards 2023. Stay tuned to find out what the Critics loved most, and who takes home the Awards!”

Abhayanand Singh, Group CEO at Vistas Media Capital, said 

“Vistas Media congratulates all the nominees for a wonderful year of some great work done by each one of them and may the best one win.” 

Here we bring you the list of entire nominations that have been announced for the Critics’ Choice Awards 2023. 

Category : Short Film 

Best Short Film 

• 7 Star Dinosor Entertainment
• Lalanna’s Song
• Little Wings
• Nauha
• The Silent Echo

Best Director

• Vaishali Naik for 7 Star Dinosor Entertainment
• Naveen Mu for Little Wings 
• Pratham Khurana for Nauha 
• Suyash Kamat for Sadabahar 
• Suman Sen for The Silent Echo

Best Actor 

• Rajesh Tailang for Hurdang 
• Nitharsana C. Kalidoss for Little Wings 
• Azhar Khan for Nauha 
• Rony David Raj for Night Saloon 
• Kunjikannan Master for Pottan

Best Actress 

• Zoya Hussain for Bad Egg 
• Amrita Puri for Clean 
• Payel Rakshit for Footprints 
• Shreya Dhanwanthary for Gray 
• Nakshatra Indrajith for Lalanna’s Song

Best Writing 

• Vaishali Naik for 7 Star Dinosor Entertainment 
• Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Parvin for Clean 
• Varun Grover for Kiss 
• Naveen Mu for Little Wings 
• Lavina Khubchandani, Pratham Khurana for Nauha 

Best Cinematography 

• Swati Jain for 7 Star Dinosor Entertainment
• Kuldeep Mamania for Lalanna’s Song
• Saravanamaruthu Soundarapandi, Meenakshi Soman for Little Wings 
• Nikhil Pires for Nauha 
• Xohaer Musavvir for The Silent Echo 

Category: Feature Films 

Best Film 

• Ariyippu 
• Bhoothakaalam
• Gangubai Kathiawadi
• Gargi
• Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon
• Kadaisi Vivasayi
• Pada
• RRR
• Seththumaan
• Thallumaala

Best Director 

• Anamika Haksar for Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon
• M. Manikandan for Kadaisi Vivasayi
• Vasan Bala for Monica, O My Darling 
• Rajat Kapoor for RK/RKay 
• S. S. Rajamouli for RRR 

Best Writing 

• Gautham Ramachandran, Hariharan Raju for Gargi 
• Anamika Haksar, Lokesh Jain for Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon 
• M. Manikandan for Kadaisi Vivasayi 
• Yogesh Chandekar for Monica, O My Darling 
• Rajat Kapoor for RK/RKay 

Best Actor 

• Kunchacko Boban for Ariyippu 
• Rajkummar Rao for Badhaai Do 
• Rishab Shetty for Kantara 
• Karthi for Ponniyin Selvan 1 
• Tovino Thomas for Thallumaala 

Best Actress 

• Nithya Menen for 19(1)(a) 
• Revathi for Bhoothakaalam 
• Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi
• Sai Pallavi for Gargi
• Shefali Shah for Jalsa

Best Supporting Actor 

• Vijay Sethupathi for 19(1)(a)
• Jaideep Ahlawat for An Action Hero
• Vijay Sethupathi for Kadaisi Vivasayi
• Shine Tom Chacko for Thallumaala
• Fahadh Faasil for Vikram 

Best Supporting Actress 

• Sheeba Chaddha for Badhaai Do 
• Shefali Shah for Darlings
• Radhika Apte for Monica, O My Darling
• Swastika Mukherjee for Qala
• Shraddha Srinath for Witness 

Best Editing 

• Atanu Mukherjee for Monica, O My Darling
• Suresh Pai for RK/RKay 
• Sreekar Prasad for RRR
• Nishadh Yusuf for Thallumaala 
• Philomin Raj for Vikram 

Best Cinematography 

• Sudeep Chatterjee for Gangubai Kathiawadi 
• Saumyananda Sahi for Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon 
• Swapnil S. Sonawane for Monica, O My Darling 
• Ravi Varman for Ponniyin Selvan 1 
• Siddharth Diwan for Qala 

Category : Web Series 

Best Series 

• Delhi Crime Season 2
• Mai
• Rocket Boys
• Suzhal: The Vortex 
• Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie 

Best Writing 

• Mayank Tewari, Shubrha Swarup, Vidit Tripathi, Enzia Mirza for Delhi Crime Season 2 
• Atul Mongia, Tamal Sen, Amita Vyas for Mai
• Kausar Munir, Abhay Pannu for Rocket Boys 
• Pushkar-Gayathri for Suzhal: The Vortex  
• Andrew Louis for Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie 

Best Actor 

• Jaideep Ahlawat for Broken News 
• Avinash Tiwary for Khakee: The Bihar Chapter
• Jim Sarbh for Rocket Boys
• Nagraj Manjule for Unpaused: Naya Safar 
• SJ Suryah for Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie 

Best Actress 

• Shriya Pilgaonkar for Broken News 
• Huma Qureshi for Maharani Season 2 
• Sakshi Tanwar for Mai 
• Fatima Sana Sheikh for Modern Love: Mumbai 
• Geetanjali Kulkarni for Unpaused: Naya Safar 

Best Supporting Actor 

• Abhilash Thapliyal for Faadu 
• Amit Sial for Maharani Season 2
• Prashant Narayan for Mai
• Faisal Malik for Panchayat Season 2 
• Vivek Prasanna for Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie 

Best Supporting Actress 

• Tillotama Shome for Delhi Crime Season 2 
• Seema Pahwa for Jamtara Season 2
• Kani Kusruti for Maharani Season 2
• Yeo Yann Yann for Modern Love: Mumbai
• Sriya Reddy for Suzhal: The Vortex