3 min readUpdated: Mar 28, 2026 05:58 AM IST
After the wide acclaim and surge in viewership that Indian streaming originals enjoyed a few years ago, the OTT landscape has been undergoing some changes, with “risk aversion” cited as a major reason behind the shift. Yet, if the films released directly on streaming platforms last year are any indication, there was considerable variety for audiences to choose from.
That range is reflected in the Best OTT Film nominations at the Chetak Screen Awards this year, where intimate family dramas are in the race for the trophy alongside thrillers and social dramas. Powered by compelling storyline, performance and cinematic treatment, Mrs., Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, Stolen, The Great Shamsuddin Family and The Mehta Boys have secured nominations in this category.
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Mrs. (streaming on Zee5) is a searing look at the patriarchal expectations in a traditional marriage. Honey Trehan-directed Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders (Netflix) is a crime drama that returns to the world of small-town crime to explore class conflicts and the abuse of power. Karan Tejpal’s thriller Stolen (Amazon Prime Video) follows the ordeals of two urbane brothers, played by Abhishek Banerjee and Shubham Vardhan, who are accidentally pulled into a child kidnapping case. Both Anusha Rizvi’s The Great Shamsuddin Family (JioHotstar) and Boman Irani’s directorial debut, The Mehta Boys (Amazon Prime Video), are family dramas that reflect contemporary realities.
Mrs. has secured three more nominations — Best Actor (Female) – OTT Film for Sanya Malhotra, Best Director – OTT film for Arati Kadav and Best Script – OTT — apart from the Best Film nod. Competing with Malhotra for the Best Actor (Female) – OTT Film trophy are Fatima Sana Shaikh (Aap Jaisa Koi), Radhika Apte (Saali Mohabbat), Saba Azad (Songs of Paradise), Mia Maelzer (Stolen), Farida Jalal (The Great Shamsuddin Family) and Shreya Chaudhry (The Mehta Boys). While Azad added nuance to her performance as a Kashmiri radio singer; Jalal, with her stellar performance, has proven that age has not dimmed her spark.
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In the Best Actor (Male) – OTT category, Manoj Bajpayee (Inspector Zende), Abhishek Bachchan (Kaalidhar Laapata), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders), Banerjee (Stolen) and Vardhan (Stolen) have been nominated. Their performances establish, irrespective of the platform where their movies are shown, a well-written and enacted character creates impact. Bachchan infused the character of Kaalidhar with vulnerability and sweetness while Siddiqui revisited the complexities of Jatil Yadav in the second instalment of Raat Akeli Hai. Banerjee and Vardhan, who did theatre together in Delhi, brought an authenticity and edge to Stolen.
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