The Afterglow: Inside the 7th Iconic Gold Awards 2026
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 24: Almost a week has passed since the flashbulbs subsided at Mumbai’s Taj Lands End, but the 7th Iconic Gold Awards is still the talk of the town. The joy has not subsided yet. In a season often cluttered with commercial noise, this year’s ceremony felt different, a definitive statement on the “new guard” of Indian entertainment culture where cinematic depth and digital mastery finally share the same throne. The ceremony was concluded on a high note.
The Couture & The Crowd
The red carpet was a star-studded affair, with appearances from Hina Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Rakul Preet Singh, and Ishaan Khatter.
From Manoj Bajpayee and Boman Irani to the digital creators like Avneet Kaur and Munawar Faruqui, the guest list was studded with talents from various segments of the glamour industry.
The Night’s Big Winners
The jury had Amit Rai (OMG 2) and Raaj Shaandilyaa (Dream Girl 2), and other popular faces.
Anupam Kher’s Tanvi The Great was the evening’s undoubted cinematic choice. Centered on a powerful narrative involving autism and the Indian Army, the film secured Best Film, while newcomer Shubhangi Dutt received a standing ovation as she accepted the Best Actress (Jury) award for her transformative performance.
OTT: The Panchayat Sweep
If there were any doubts about the power of rural storytelling, TVF’s Panchayat Season 4 silenced them. In a historic sweep, the series took home six major trophies, including:
Best Comedy Web Series
Best Actor (Comedy): Jitendra Kumar
Best Actress (Comedy): Neena Gupta
Best Supporting Duo: Faisal Malik & Sunita Rajwar
Best Director (Comedy): Deepak Kumar Mishra & Akshat Vijaywargiya
DVA Records, too, made a great impact in this grand ceremony.
The Verdict
Looking back, the 2026 Iconic Gold Awards weren’t just about the trophies; it was about the shift in the tide. With the support of Seema Singh’s MeghaShrey and a panel that prioritized narrative appeal over the viral metrics, the Iconic Gold stage has officially become the place where India’s most meaningful stories come to be gilded. The event set bars for the event culture of Indian glamour.
Complete List of Achievers:
Special Jury Award For Outstanding Performance
Adarsh Gourav – Superboys Of Malegaon
Best Actor (Popular)
Farhan Akhtar – 120 Bahadur
Emerging Face Of The Year
Shanaya Kapoor – Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan
Producer With A Purpose – Zero Waste Filmmaking
Pragya Kapoor
Fresh Face Of The Year
Zoya Afroz
Best Director (Critics’ Choice)
Suparn Verma – Haq
Best Film (Popular)
Haq
Game Changer Producer Of The Year
Jyoti Deshpande – Dhurandhar
Best Director
Aditya Dhar – Dhurandhar
Best Debut (Popular)
Sara Arjun – Dhurandhar
Best Film
Dhurandhar
Best Debut Director
Karan Singh Tyagi – Kesari Chapter 2
Best Actor (Critic’s Choice)
Siddhant Chaturvedi – Dhadak 2
Best Actress (Critics’ Choice)
Fatima Sana Shaikh – Gustakh Ishq
Best Actress
Rakul Preet Singh – De De Pyaar De 2
Best Actress (Pan India Movie)
Rukmini Vasanth – Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1
Best Actor (Jury’s Choice)
Ishaan Khatter – Homebound
Powerpack Performance Male
Vishal Jethwa – Home Bound
Breakthrough Performance Of The Year
Simrat Kaur – The Bengal Files
Best Music
Tanishk Bagchi – Saiyaara
Versatile Actor (Popular)
Vivek Oberoi
Best Supporting Actor
Vineet Kumar Singh – Chhaava
Best Supporting Actress
Kubbra Sait – Son Of Sardaar 2
Best Supporting Actor (Comedy)
Maniesh Paul – Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari
Best Debut Actor
Veer Pahariya – Sky Force
Best Debut Actress
Shreya Sharma – Mastiii 4
Best Choreographer
Vijay Ganguly – Saiyaara And Dhurandhar
Voice Of The Year
Shahzad Ali – Ishq Jalakar – Karvaan (Dhurandhar)
Best Singer
Sonu Nigam – Pardesiya Song Param Sundari
Outstanding Contributions In Indian Sports Badminton
Saina Nehwal
Promising Performer Female
Avneet Kaur – Love In Vietnam
Trailblazer Of New Age Cinema
Radhika Madan
Best Debut Actress (Critics’ Choice)
Shubhangi Dutt – Tanvi The Great
Impactful Performance Male
Mohit Malik – Azaad
Best Casting Director
Mukesh Chhabra – Dhurandhar & Tere Ishk Mein
Powerpack Performance Female
Patralekha – Phule
Best Debut Producer
Manish Malhotra – Gustaakh Ishq
Best Film (Jury’s Choice)
Tanvi The Great
Best Film (Critics’ Choice)
Superboys Of Malegaon
Best Gujarati Movie
Laalo – Shree Krishna Sada Sahaayate
Social Media Sensation Of The Year
Aditi Bhatia
Fitness Diva Of Bollywood
Alaya F
Best Lyricist
Irshad Kamil – Saiyaara & Tere Ishk Mein (Title Track).
Best Playback Singer
Sonu Nigam – Pardesiya – Param Sundari
Best Director (Popular)
Mohit Suri – Saiyaara
Best Film
Dhurandhar
Best Movie OTT
Harman Baweja – Mrs.
Best Director (Critics’ Choice) – OTT
Arati Kadav – Mrs.
Best Actor – OTT
Nawazuddin Siddiqui – Raat Akeli Hai 2
Best Film (Popular) – OTT
Raat Akeli Hai 2
Best Actress – OTT
Chitrangada Singh – Raat Akeli Hai 2
Best Supporting Actor – OTT
Sanjay Kapoor – Raat Akeli Hai 2
Best Actress (Critics’ Choice) – OTT
Nushrratt Bharuccha – Chhori 2
Best Director – OTT
Boman Irani – The Mehta Boys
Best Actor (Critic’s Choice) – OTT
Avinash Tiwary – For The Mehta Boys
Best Television Actress
Rupali Ganguly – Anupama
Best Television Actor
Sharad Kelkar – Tumm Se Tumm Tak
Best Actor – Web Series
Manoj Bajpayee – The Family Man Season3
Best Actress – Web Series
Shefali Shah – Delhi Crime Season 3
Best Web Series
Raj & Dk – The Family Man Season 3
Best Web Series (Comedy)
Panchayat Season 4
Best Actor (Critic’s Choice) – Web Series
Amol Parashar – Gram Chikitsalay
Best Director (Critic’s Choice) – Web Series
Faruk Kabir – Salakaar
Best Director (Popular) – Web Series
Deepak Kumar Mishra – Panchayat Season 4
Best Supporting Actor (Comedy) – Web Series
Faisal Malik – Panchayat Season 4
Best Supporting Actress (Comedy) – Web Series
Sunita Rajwar – Panchayat Season 4
Pioneer Of Digital Content In India
Arunabh Kumar
Best Actress (Negative) – Web Series
Huma Qureshi – Delhi Crime Season 3
Best Actress (Negative) (Critics’ Choice) – Web Series
Kriti Kharbanda – Rana Naidu Season 2
Best Actress (Negative) (Popular) – Web Series
Nimrat Kaur – The Family Man Season 3
Best Supporting Actress – Web Series
Rasika Dugal – Delhi Crime Season 3
Versatile Actor
Amit Sial – The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case
Breakout Performance Of The Year – Web Series
Karan Tacker – Bhay: The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery
Most Impactful Performance – Web Series
Hina Khan – Griha Laxmi
Most Promising Actor – Web Series
Naveen Kasturia – Salakaar
Rising Star – OTT
Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor – Gram Chikitsalay
Best Debut Actor – Web Series
Munawar Faruqui – First Copy
Best Debut Director – Web Series
Aryan Khan – The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Best Writer
Bilal Siddiqi – The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Best Writer
Aryan Khan – The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Best Writer
Manav Chauhan – The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Outstanding Performer
Mona Singh – The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Best Comeback In OTT
Rajat Bedi – The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Best Web Series (Popular)
The Ba***Ds Of Bollywood
Most Promising Actress – Web Series
Anya Singh – The Bads*** Of Bollywood.
Rising Star Popular
Sahher Bambba – The Bads*** Of Birthday
Rising Star Female (Critics’ Choice)
Sadia Khateeb – For The Diplomat