Expressing her gratitude, director Reema Kagti shared, “I would like to thank the National Indian Film Festival of Australia for choosing Superboys of Malegaon as the Best Film and for showcasing it in cities across Australia, helping the film reach a wider audience
Reema Kagti’s Superboys of Malegaon has clinched the prestigious ‘Best Film’ award at the National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA). The film, which explores the dreams and determination of its characters in the backdrop of Malegaon, was celebrated for its compelling storytelling and emotional depth.
Expressing her gratitude, director Reema Kagti shared, “I would like to thank the National Indian Film Festival of Australia for choosing Superboys of Malegaon as the Best Film and for showcasing it in cities across Australia, helping the film reach a wider audience. We are glad that festival audiences resonated with this story of dreams and determination.”
In addition to Superboys of Malegaon, Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s documentary The Man Who Hurls News won the ‘Best Documentary (Short)’ award. The film sheds light on the life of one of the oldest serving newspaper boys in the world, offering a unique perspective on the dissemination of news. Mahadevan expressed his excitement, saying, “Winning the Best Documentary (Short) at the NIFFA is a very special honor. I am humbled that audiences in Australia related to this unusual character and connected emotionally with his story.”
Other notable awards at the festival included WingMan (The Universal Irony of Love) by Anuj Gulati, which was named ‘Best Indie Feature Film,’ and Parikrama by acclaimed director Goutam Ghose, which won the ‘Best International Indian Film.’ Ma Oori Ramayanam by Badrappa Gajula was recognized with the ‘Best Documentary Feature’ award.
The inaugural edition of the National Indian Film Festival of Australia ran from February 13 to March 2, 2025, and concluded with a star-studded Red-Carpet Gala and the closing night screening of Roam Rome Mein, directed by Tannishtha Chatterjee, at Murdoch University, Perth. The festival took audiences on an exciting seven-city tour across Sydney, Canberra, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne.
In the coming weeks, select films from the festival will have encore screenings at Dendy Cinemas, extending the celebration of Indian cinema to more audiences. This year’s NIFFA has been hailed as a remarkable success, highlighting the diverse and powerful storytelling from Indian filmmakers across the globe.
