Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2021: Vidya Balan, Suriya Win Top Honours

Mirzapur Season 2 won the award for 'Best Web Series' while Suriya's Soorarai Pottru won 'Best Film'.

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne honours films from India and the subcontinent, every year. The IFFM 2021 was held online on 20 August due to COVID-19 regulations. This year's edition honoured Pankaj Tripathi with the 'Diversity in Cinema Award'.

Filmmaker Anurag Basu won the award for 'Best Director' for LUDO. While Suriya Sivakumar starrer Soorarai Pottru won 'Best Film,' the actor took home the 'Best Performance Male (Feature) Award' for the film. Vidya Balan won the award for 'Best Performance Female (Feature)' for Sherni.

Here's the list of winners at the IFFM 2021:

• Best Director: Anurag Basu (LUDO)

• Best Director (Honorary Mention): Prithvi Konanur for Pinki Elli?

• Best Performance Female (Feature) - Vidya Balan (Sherni)

• Best Performance Female (Feature) (Honorary Mention): Nimisha Sajayan (The Great Indian Kitchen)

• Best Performance Male (Feature): Suriya Sivakumar (Soorarai Pottru)

• Best Performance Male (Series): Manoj Bajpayee (The Family Man 2)

• Best Performance Female (Series): Samantha Akkineni (The Family Man 2)

• Best Web Series: Mirzapur Season 2

• Diversity in Cinema Award: Pankaj Tripathi

• Equality in Cinema (Short): Sheer Qorma

• Equality in Cinema (Feature): The Great Indian Kitchen, God on the Balcony

• Best Documentary: Shut Up Sona

• IFFM Disruptor Award: Sanal Sasidharan

• Best Indie Film: Fire in the Mountains

• Best Film: Soorarai Pottru

Anurag Basu, who won the 'Best Director' award for Ludo thanked his crew and actors. He said in a statement, "Humbling to be part of the nominees and to be winning the best director. Thankful to Netflix and T-Series. My actors were amazing to stand by me. Such amazing people, my crew, my actors. Such a crazy bunch of people. This award shows us that despite all the situation we are in, cinema will continue to be celebrated."

'Best Performance Female (Feature)' Award-winner Vidya Balan said in a statement, "I’m thrilled to be receiving the award for Sherni which was shot during the pandemic. Thanks to my director Amit Masurkar, my producer Abundantia- who pulled all stops to make this film during these uncertain times."

Pankaj Tripathi joins the likes of Frieda Pinto, Onir, and Fawad Khan, who were previous recipients of the 'Diversity in Cinema' award. Speaking of the honour, Tripathi thanked filmmaker Anurag Kashyap for ‘rediscovering’ his talent.

"This award is special for me, I’m humbled - it’s really inspiring for me, my craft. The man who is here to give me this award. He is the one who discovered my talent. So thanks to Anurag Kashyap sir. He is the one who rediscovered my talent. So I’m grateful to you. I’m grateful to all my directors, writers for having me part of their projects."

Pankaj Tripathi, Actor

The prestigious jury members including Richa Chadha, Guneet Monga, Onir, Australian filmmaker Geoffrey Wright, and Oscar-nominated editor Jill Bilcock were present at IFFM 2021.

Artistes like Anurag Kashyap, Shoojit Sircar, Thiagarajan Kumararaja, and Sriram Raghavan also attended.