The 2025 edition of the New York Indian Film Festival concluded with a powerful lineup of winners, led by Angammal, directed by Vipin Radhakrishnan, which took home the prestigious Best Film award. Set in a rural Tamil Nadu village, the film tells a poignant tale of a man grappling with the embarrassment caused by his mother’s traditional choice to go blouseless, a cultural tension that builds ahead of a visit from his in-laws.
Responding exclusively to CE about the win, Vipin says, "Really happy! We are actively planning the commercial distribution of the film; hopefully, this will help that."
Celebrated filmmaker Rima Das had a memorable night, winning Best Director for Village Rockstars 2, while also sharing the New York Women in Film & Television Excellence in Directing Award with Shonali Bose for their collaborative work on A Fly on the Wall.
Aranya Sahay’s Humans in the Loop was named Best Debut Film in partnership with the Film Critics Circle of India. The film marks a promising start for the young director. Subhadra Mahajan received the Best Screenplay award for Second Chance, while acting honours went to two veterans: Nawazuddin Siddiqui was named Best Actor for I’m Not An Actor, and Sharmila Tagore won Best Actress for her performance in The Ancient.
In the documentary section, A Fly on the Wall, co-directed by Bose and Nilesh Maniyar, was awarded Best Feature Documentary. An Arrested Moment, directed by Dev Benega, won Best Short Documentary, and Thursday Special, helmed by Varun Tandon, bagged Best Short Narrative.
