Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta, SonyLIV’s streaming show Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) is leading the nominations for Filmfare OTT Awards, which were announced on Wednesday.
The awards will recognise the best of Hindi web original shows or films released across Indian streaming media platforms between August 2020 and July 2021.
Scam 1992, starring Pratik Gandhi in the lead role, bagged 14 nominations across categories, followed by Mirzapur and The Family Man as the second season of both thrillers earned 13 and 12 nominations, respectively.
Manoj Bajpayee is the only actor to have bagged a nomination in both, the film and series categories.
“The last couple of years have been the most interesting times of my journey and most of the credit goes to my recent OTT stints. This industry is truly transforming and I laud Filmfare for creating a special intervention to celebrate the best of creative excellence in the OTT space," the actor said.
Named MyGlamm Filmfare OTT Awards 2021, the nominations were selected based on audience votes across genres like comedy, drama, and non-fiction for both web series and web films. Filmfare will felicitate the best of talent and technique at an exclusive event in Mumbai on December 9, 2021.
The awards ceremony will take place in Mumbai, ensuring public safety and in alignment with Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Government.
The Family Man, Mirzapur, and Scam 1992 are nominated alongside two Disney+Hotstar originals –Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors and Grahan – as well as MX Player's Ashram in the best series (drama).
In the best directors category, The Family Man team of Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK, and Suparn S Verma are nominated alongside Gurmeet Singh and Mihir Desai (Mirzapur); Hansal Mehta and Jai Mehta (Scam 1992); Prakash Jha (Ashram); Rohan Sippy and Arjun Mukherjee (Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors); and Ranjan Chandel (Grahan).
Manoj Bajpayee, Bobby Deol, Pratik Gandhi, Pankaj Tripathi, Atul Kulkarni, and Anshuman Pushkar will battle it out for the best actor (drama) trophy. Whereas, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kriti Kulhari, Huma Qureshi, Shweta Tripathi, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Zoya Hussain are nominated in the best actress (drama) category.
Mirzapur stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, and Divyenndu Sharma are nominated in the best supporting actor (drama) alongside Sharib Hashmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal, and veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah for Bandish Bandits.
For the best supporting actress (drama) segment, Amruta Subhash and Shahana Goswami of Bombay Begums fame are nominated opposite Anupriya Goenka, Sheeba Chaddha, and Anjali Barot.
In the comedy segments, Gullak, Hostel Daze, College Romance, Masaba Masaba, Metro Park, and Aalas Motaapa Ghabrahat have earned nods in the best comedy category.
Vijay Verma (Ok Computer), Ranvir Shorey (Metro Park), Adarsh Gourav (Hostel Daze) are nominated for best actor (comedy) alongside Jameel Khan (Gullak) and Naveen Kasturia (Runaway Lugaai).
The best actress category will be a quadrangular contest between Masaba Gupta, Ruhi Singh, Geetanjali Kulkarni, and Kani Kusruti.
Nominations for the OTT films were also revealed and it includes Netflix movies Ajeeb Daastaans, Ray and Serious Men as well as Mee Raqsam, State of Siege - Terror Attack, and Kaagaz.
The best actor race is between Pankaj Tripathi, Naseeruddin Shah, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bobby Deol, Manoj Bajpayee, and Manav Kaul.
Kajol, Richa Chadha, Sanya Malhotra, Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Aditi Sharma are nominated in the best actress category.
A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.