The 7th edition of the prestigious Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards, a proud platform for film journalists, was held at the Jnana Jyothi Auditorium on March 29 2026 in Bengaluru. Awards were presented to outstanding artists and technicians for films released in 2025.
Rishab Shetty won the Best Actor award for his performance in Kantara: Chapter 1, while Ashika Ranganath received the Best Actress award for Gata Vaibhava. The Best Film award for 2025 also went to Kantara: Chapter 1, which secured a total of nine awards. It was a standout moment as “Divine Star” Rishab Shetty bagged three trophies.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred on veteran director Rajendra Singh Babu. A Special Honorary Award was presented to Sukruth Srujan Lokesh, the great-grandson of Subbaiah Naidu, the pioneering hero of Kannada talkie films.
The colourful and grand ceremony commenced with the traditional lamp-lighting. Chief guests included National Award-winning director Girish Kasaravalli, National Award-winning actress Tara Anuradha, renowned producer Rockline Venkatesh, noted director B. Suresh, senior actress Girija Lokesh, popular actress Pooja Gandhi, actress and pro-Kannada activist Ashwini Gowda, well-known actor Master Manjunath, along with several dignitaries including title sponsor Amberstone Properties Managing Director Yashwanth Kumar, Kiran Kumar, Keerthi, Ashwasurya Realities Director S. Ranjith Kumar, and Alliance University Registrar Surekha Shetty.
Amberstone Properties was the title sponsor, while Ashwasurya Realities co-sponsored the event.
Winners – Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards 2025
Best Debut Producer: Nivedita Shivarajkumar (Fire Fly)
Best Debut Writer: Sumanth Bhat (Mithya)
Best Debut Director: Bheemarao P (Hebbuli Cut)
Best Debut Actress: Priyanka Acharya (Elumale)
Best Debut Actor: Kireeti (Junior) & Dushyant (Gata Vaibhava)
Best Child Actor: Atheesh Shetty (Mithya)
Best VFX: K.V. Sanjith (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Art Direction: Bengalan & Dharani Gangaputra (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Action Direction: Arjun Raj (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Editing: K.M. Prakash (Elu Male)
Best Dialogue: J.P. Tuminadu (So From So)
Best Cinematography: Aravind Kashyap (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Choreography: Vinayak Acharya (So From So)
Best Male Playback Singer: Abbi V (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Female Playback Singer: Saanvi Sudeep (Mark)
Best Lyrics: Simple Suni (Gata Vaibhava)
Best Background Score: Sandeep Tulsidas (So From So)
Best Music Director: B. Ajaneesh Loknath (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Screenplay: Puneeth Rangaswamy (Elu Male)
Best Supporting Actress: Sandhya Arakere (So From So)
Best Supporting Actor: Mahantesh Hiremath (Hebbuli Cut)
Best Director: Rishab Shetty (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Actress: Ashika Ranganath (Gata Vaibhava)
Best Actor: Rishab Shetty (Kantara: Chapter 1)
Best Film: Kantara: Chapter 1
Lifetime Achievement Award: S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu
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