What happens when a film wins almost everything in sight, then misses the one prize designed to define the night? That contradiction is exactly what pushed director Sanjay Gupta to react after the Screen Awards 2026, where Dhurandhar picked up 14 trophies but did not win Best Film.
Gupta distilled the disbelief into one line that instantly cut through the post-awards chatter: “A film winning FOURTEEN awards including Best Director not winning Best Film is beyond me.” It was the kind of industry-side comment that lands harder because it says out loud what many were already thinking as the ceremony ended.
The Awards Night Result That Triggered Sanjay Gupta’s Comment
At the Screen Awards 2026, Dhurandhar was the clear giant of the evening. The film won Best Director for Aditya Dhar and Best Actor for Ranveer Singh, while also racking up major victories across the board. Yet when the final marquee honour was announced, Best Film went to Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, giving the night its most talked-about twist.
That is exactly why Gupta’s remark found instant traction. This was not just another social media complaint about an awards show. It zeroed in on a result that felt unusually hard to square, especially for a film that had spent the evening collecting trophy after trophy and building the momentum of an undeniable frontrunner.
Award juries have often drawn a line between individual excellence and the final best picture call. But this year, the split came with extra sting because Dhurandhar looked, sounded, and moved like the night’s consensus winner long before the final category was announced.
Why Dhurandhar Became The Night’s Biggest Talking Point
That tension also says a lot about how Dhurandhar was perceived through the season. Directed by Aditya Dhar and produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, the Hindi action thriller stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan and Yami Gautam. It was released theatrically in March 2026 and arrived with the scale, cast heat, and prestige packaging of a major awards player.
The film revolves around a high-stakes espionage world shaped by covert operations and national security. By the time awards season peaked, Dhurandhar had already developed the aura of a big-event contender, the kind of title that dominates conversations in industry circles because it blends star power with technical polish and directorial ambition.
That is what makes Gupta’s post more than a passing reaction. Instead of the ceremony closing with a simple coronation of its most decorated film, Dhurandhar ended the night with something more dramatic: a sweep, a snub, and a debate that is still rolling on.
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