Awards and records of Gujarati cinema

National Film Awards

• Vash - Best Gujarati Feature Film (71st NFA) (2023)

  Horror hit that won the National Award

  Krishnadev Yagnik's Vash, produced by Big Box Series and K S Entertainment, won the Best Gujarati Feature Film award at the 71st National Film Awards for 2023.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Janki Bodiwala - Best Actress in a Supporting Role (71st NFA) (2023)

  National Award acting win for Vash

  Janki Bodiwala won the National Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 71st National Film Awards for her performance as Aarya in Vash.

  Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

• Vash - Two wins at the 71st National Film Awards (2023)

  Gujarati film taking two national honours in one year

  Vash won two honours at the 71st National Film Awards, taking both Best Gujarati Feature Film and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Janki Bodiwala.

  Source: tribuneindia.com

• Rajat Kamal renamed to 'Best Gujarati Feature Film' (70th NFA) (2022)

  2022 renaming of the Gujarati category

  From the 70th National Film Awards, the category formerly called 'Best Feature Film in Gujarati' (1960 to 2021) was renamed 'Best Gujarati Feature Film'.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Category renamed to Best Gujarati Feature Film (70th NFA) (2022)

  2022 renaming of the Gujarati NFA category

  From the 70th National Film Awards the category name was changed from Best Feature Film in Gujarati (used 1960 to 2021) to Best Gujarati Feature Film.

  Source: Wikipedia

• 70th NFA - No Best Gujarati Feature Film awarded (2022) (2022)

  A year with no Gujarati NFA winner

  At the 70th National Film Awards for 2022, no film was given the Best Gujarati Feature Film award.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - Best Gujarati Feature Film (69th NFA) (2021)

  Pan Nalin's National Award winner

  At the 69th National Film Awards, Bhavin Rabari won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for his role as Samay in Chhello Show.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Gujarati films at the 69th National Film Awards (2021) (2021)

  Gujarati cinema's presence at a landmark ceremony

  Gujarati films featured among the winners at the 69th National Film Awards, with Chhello Show winning Best Gujarati Feature Film and Best Child Artist.

  Source: english.gujaratsamachar.com

• Hellaro - Swarna Kamal (Best Feature Film) (2018)

  First Gujarati film to win India's top National Film Award

  Hellaro won the Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) for Best Feature Film at the 66th National Film Awards, making Abhishek Shah's film the first Gujarati film ever to take India's overall top film honour.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Hellaro - Special Jury Award for the 13 actresses (2018)

  Ensemble Special Jury Award at the National Film Awards

  The thirteen female lead actresses of Hellaro, including Shraddha Dangar, Shachi Joshi and Tejal Panchasara, collectively won the Special Jury Award at the 66th National Film Awards.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Reva - Best Gujarati Feature Film (66th NFA) (2018)

  Narmada-set National Award winner

  Rahul Bhole and Vinit Kanojia's Reva, produced by Paresh Vora, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 66th National Film Awards for 2018.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Dhh - Best Gujarati Feature Film (65th NFA) (2017)

  Children's-themed National Award winner

  Manish Saini's Dhh won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 65th National Film Awards (for 2017).

  Source: Wikipedia

• Wrong Side Raju - Best Gujarati Feature Film (64th NFA) (2016)

  Phantom Films-backed National Award winner

  Mikhil Musale's Wrong Side Raju, produced by CineMan Productions and Phantom Films, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 64th National Film Awards for 2016.

  Source: Wikipedia

• The Good Road - Best Gujarati Feature Film (60th NFA) (2012)

  National Award that preceded its Oscar selection

  The Good Road won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 60th National Film Awards (for 2012) before being picked as India's Oscar entry.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Manvini Bhavai - Best Gujarati Feature Film (41st NFA) (1993)

  Upendra Trivedi's National Award-winning literary adaptation

  Upendra Trivedi directed and co-produced Manvini Bhavai, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 41st National Film Awards for 1993.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Percy - Best Gujarati Feature Film (37th NFA) (1989)

  NFDC-produced National Award winner

  Pervez Merwanji's Percy, produced by NFDC, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 37th National Film Awards for 1989.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Gun Sundari No Ghar Sansar - Best Gujarati Feature Film (20th NFA) (1972)

  National Award-winning Gujarati feature

  Govind Saraiya's Gun Sundari No Ghar Sansar won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 20th National Film Awards (for 1972).

  Source: Wikipedia

• Kanku - Best Gujarati Feature Film (17th NFA) (1969)

  National Award-winning Gujarati classic by Kantilal Rathod

  Kantilal Rathod produced and directed Kanku, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 17th National Film Awards for 1969.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Kasumbi No Rang - Best Gujarati Feature Film (13th NFA) (1965)

  1960s National Award-winning Gujarati feature

  G. K. Mehta's Kasumbi No Rang, produced by Manoobhai N. Gadhvi, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 13th National Film Awards for 1965.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Jevi Chhun Tevi - Best Gujarati Feature Film (11th NFA) (1963)

  Early National Award-winning Gujarati film

  Gajanan Mehta's Jevi Chhun Tevi, produced by Bholanath D. Trivedi, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 11th National Film Awards for 1963.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Nandanvan - Best Gujarati Feature Film (9th NFA) (1961)

  Second-ever Best Gujarati Feature Film winner

  Ganpatrao Brahmbhatt's Nandanvan, produced by Shrikumar V. Gaglani, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 9th National Film Awards for 1961.

  Source: Wikipedia

• National Film Award for Best Gujarati Feature Film (1960)

  The dedicated Rajat Kamal category for Gujarati cinema

  Instituted in 1960 and first awarded at the 8th National Film Awards, this Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) category honours the year's best Gujarati feature film.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Mendi Rang Lagyo - Best Gujarati Feature Film (8th NFA) (1960)

  First-ever winner of the Best Gujarati Feature Film award

  Manhar Raskapur's Mendi Rang Lagyo, produced by Bipin Gajjar, won the first National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 8th National Film Awards for 1960.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Gujarati NFA category instituted in 1960 (1960)

  Founding of the dedicated Gujarati Rajat Kamal

  The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati was instituted in 1960 and first awarded at the 8th National Film Awards, carrying a Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) and cash prize.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Long gap 1972 to 1989 with no Gujarati NFA winner

  A 17-year drought in the Gujarati NFA category

  After Gun Sundari No Ghar Sansar in 1972, no Gujarati film won the Best Feature Film in Gujarati award until Percy in 1989, a gap of 17 years.

  Source: Wikipedia

India's Oscar entries

• Chhello Show (Last Film Show) - India's Oscar entry (95th Academy Awards) (2023)

  India's official entry for the 2023 Oscars

  Pan Nalin's Chhello Show / Last Film Show was chosen as India's official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards (2023), though it did not make the final nominations.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - Shortlisted for Best International Feature at 95th Oscars (2023)

  Advanced to the Oscar shortlist

  Beyond being India's official entry, Chhello Show was shortlisted in the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards.

  Source: hollywoodreporter.com

• The Good Road - India's Oscar entry (86th Academy Awards) (2013)

  First Gujarati film to represent India at the Oscars

  Gyan Correa's The Good Road (2013) was selected as India's official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, the first Gujarati film chosen to represent India at the Oscars.

  Source: Wikipedia

Film festivals

• Laalo - First Gujarati film to screen at Cannes Film Festival (2026)

  Debut of Gujarati cinema at Cannes

  In May 2026 Laalo became the first Gujarati film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

  Source: moneycontrol.com

• Chhello Show - Won Luminaries Jury Award special mention at Milwaukee Film Festival (2022)

  US festival jury recognition

  Chhello Show won the Luminaries Jury Award Special Mention at the 14th Milwaukee Film Festival in 2022.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - Golden Spike for Best Picture at 66th Valladolid Film Festival (2021)

  Top prize at Spain's Seminci festival

  Chhello Show / Last Film Show won the Golden Spike Award for Best Picture at the 66th Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci) in Spain in October 2021.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - Audience Award at 44th Mill Valley Film Festival (2021)

  World Cinema audience prize in the US

  Chhello Show won the Audience Award in the World Cinema section of the 44th Mill Valley Film Festival in October 2021.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - First Gujarati film in Tribeca Festival Spotlight (2021)

  World premiere at Tribeca's Spotlight section

  Chhello Show premiered in the Spotlight section of the 20th Tribeca Festival on 10 June 2021, the first Gujarati film selected for that section.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - Nominated for Tiantan Award at 11th Beijing International Film Festival (2021)

  Competition selection in China

  Chhello Show was nominated for the Tiantan Awards at the 11th Beijing International Film Festival in 2021.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chhello Show - Nominated for Audience Award at Tribeca 2021 (2021)

  Narrative-section audience nomination

  Chhello Show was nominated for the Audience Award in the Narrative section at the 20th Tribeca Festival in June 2021.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Hellaro - Premiered across multiple international festivals (2020) (2020)

  Wide festival circuit for a Gujarati film

  Hellaro premiered at festivals including Dhaka International Film Festival 2020, Bhubaneswar International Film Festival 2020 and Aurangabad International Film Festival 2020.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Hellaro - Special Mention at IFFI Goa 2019 (2019)

  Jury special mention for music, colour and choreography

  At the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa 2019, Hellaro received a jury Special Mention for its incredible music, colour and choreography.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Hellaro - Opening film of Indian Panorama at 50th IFFI (2019)

  Selected to open Indian Panorama at IFFI 2019

  Hellaro was officially selected as the opening film of the Indian Panorama section at the 50th International Film Festival of India in Goa in November 2019.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Hellaro - Audience Choice Best Film at River to River Florence 2019 (2019)

  Audience award at an Italian Indian film festival

  Hellaro won the Audience Choice Best Film award at the 19th River to River Florence Indian Film Festival in Italy in December 2019.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Abhishek Shah - Best Director (Regional Film) at 6th Rajasthan International Film Festival (2019)

  Regional directing award for Hellaro

  Abhishek Shah won Best Director for a Regional Film at the 6th Rajasthan International Film Festival (RIFF) for Hellaro.

  Source: Wikipedia

Critics' awards

• Hellaro - Critics Choice Film Awards 2020 (Best Gujarati Film) (2020)

  Swept the Gujarati categories at Critics Choice 2020

  Jayesh More won Best Actor in the Gujarati category at the Critics Choice Film Awards 2020 for his role as the drummer Mulji in Hellaro.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Hellaro - FIPRESCI India Grand Prix 2019 (Best Feature Film) (2019)

  Won the top FIPRESCI India critics' award

  Hellaro won the FIPRESCI India Grand Prix for Best Feature Film in 2019.

  Source: Wikipedia

Industry awards

• Laalo - Best Film at Gujarati Film Awards 2026 (2026)

  Swept the 2026 state industry awards

  Laalo won Best Film at the Gujarati Film Awards 2026 and reportedly bagged a record eight awards at the ceremony.

  Source: blog.nrigujarati.co.in

• Hellaro - Best Film at the Gujarati Film Awards (2020) (2020)

  State-level industry Best Film win

  Hellaro won the Best Film award at the Gujarati Film Awards held in 2020.

  Source: blog.nrigujarati.co.in

Gujarat State Film Awards

• Gujarati Film Awards 2025 - Honoured by CM Bhupendra Patel (2025)

  State ceremony presided over by the Chief Minister

  The Gujarati Film Awards 2025 ceremony saw Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel honour the year's winners of the state's film industry awards.

  Source: Government of India

• Gujarat State Film Awards - 181 awardees honoured at Gandhinagar (2023) (2023)

  Large-scale state awards ceremony

  The Gujarat State Film Awards function held at Gandhinagar in June 2023 honoured 181 awardees across categories of Gujarati cinema.

  Source: deshgujarat.com

• Gujarat State Film Awards

  State government's annual honours for Gujarati cinema

  Presented by the Office of the Director of Information under Gujarat's Department of Information and Broadcasting, the Gujarat State Film Awards annually honour the best Gujarati films and their creative teams.

  Source: Government of India

• Gujarat State Film Awards - Annual state honours for Gujarati cinema

  Government of Gujarat's official film awards

  The Gujarat State Film Awards are presented annually by the state's Department of Information to honour the best Gujarati films and their creative teams.

  Source: deshgujarat.com

Box office records

• Laalo - Krishna Sada Sahaayate - First Rs 100 crore Gujarati film (2025)

  First Gujarati film to cross Rs 100 crore worldwide

  Ankit Sakhiya's devotional drama Laalo - Krishna Sada Sahaayate (2025) became the first Gujarati film to gross over Rs 100 crore worldwide.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Laalo - Highest-grossing Gujarati film ever (2025)

  All-time Gujarati box office record holder

  Laalo exceeded the lifetime India collections of Chaal Jeevi Laiye! to become the highest-grossing Gujarati film domestically.

  Source: newsbytesapp.com

• Gujarati cinema hits Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore in a year (2025) (2025)

  First year Gujarati films crossed these box office marks

  2025 was the first year Gujarati films crossed the Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore box office marks, led by Laalo's record-breaking run.

  Source: bollywoodhungama.com

• Laalo - Most profitable film in Indian cinema (reported) (2025)

  Extraordinary return on a tiny budget

  Made on a modest budget, Laalo (2025) was widely reported in trade press as one of the most profitable films in Indian cinema history given its Rs 100 crore-plus gross.

  Source: pinkvilla.com

• Laalo - First Gujarati film to gross over Rs 120 crore (2025)

  Highest worldwide gross for a Gujarati film

  After a slow start, Laalo earned Rs 1 crore in a single day for the first time on Day 24 of its release, marking its sleeper-hit turnaround.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Laalo - Rs 50 lakh budget to 176x profit (2025)

  Record return on investment for an Indian film

  Made on a budget of about Rs 50 lakh, Laalo was reported to have made roughly 176 times its cost, one of the most extreme returns in Indian cinema.

  Source: indianexpress.com

• Laalo - Biggest Indian hit of 2025 by return (2025)

  Outperformed big-budget films on profitability

  Hindustan Times reported that the Rs 50 lakh Laalo, with no stars, became a bigger hit than Saiyaara, Chhaava and Kantara in 2025 terms of return on investment.

  Source: hindustantimes.com

• Gujarati cinema's decade-high box office run (2025) (2025)

  Best box-office year of the decade for Dhollywood

  Driven by Laalo, 2025 was reported as Gujarati cinema's decade-high box office run.

  Source: moneycontrol.com

• Vash's Hindi remake - Shaitaan (2024) (2024)

  Gujarati original remade into a Bollywood hit

  Vash was remade in Hindi as Shaitaan (2024) starring Ajay Devgn, R. Madhavan and Jyotika, bringing national attention to the Gujarati original.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chaal Jeevi Laiye! - 300 weeks in cinemas (2024)

  Extraordinary theatrical longevity

  Chaal Jeevi Laiye! completed 300 weeks in cinemas on 25 October 2024 and was the first film released this century to enter its seventh year in theatres.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Vash - Made on a Rs 3 to 3.5 crore budget (2023)

  Modest-budget film that won a National Award

  Vash was made on a budget of Rs 3 to 3.5 crore and grossed an estimated Rs 15 crore before winning two National Awards.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chaal Jeevi Laiye! - Long-reigning box office record (2019)

  Highest-grossing Gujarati film before Laalo

  Vipul Mehta's Chaal Jeevi Laiye! (2019) grossed around Rs 52 crore and held the record as the highest-grossing Gujarati film for roughly five years.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chaal Jeevi Laiye! - Highest-grossing Gujarati film of its era (2019)

  Biggest Gujarati hit before Laalo

  Trade analyst Komal Nahta declared Vipul Mehta's Chaal Jeevi Laiye! the biggest blockbuster of Gujarati cinema in 2019, grossing about Rs 50 crore.

  Source: bizasialive.com

• Hellaro - Box office gross of around Rs 16 crore (2019)

  Strong commercial run for a National Award winner

  Made on an estimated Rs 2.5 crore budget, Hellaro grossed around Rs 16 crore, including over Rs 1 crore overseas.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chaal Jeevi Laiye! - Over Rs 3 crore overseas gross (2019)

  Strong international performance

  Chaal Jeevi Laiye! grossed roughly USD 303,000 (about Rs 2.14 crore) overseas across the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and other markets.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Shu Thayu? - Krishnadev Yagnik box office hit (2018)

  Top urban Gujarati grosser of its time

  Krishnadev Yagnik's Shu Thayu? (2018) grossed around Rs 21 crore, ranking among the higher-earning urban Gujarati films.

  Source: theindianwire.com

• Shu Thayu? - Highest-grossing Gujarati film before Chaal Jeevi Laiye! (2018)

  Prior record-holder overtaken in 2019

  Krishnadev Yagnik's Shu Thayu? was the highest-grossing Gujarati film until Chaal Jeevi Laiye! surpassed it by more than 100 percent in 2019.

  Source: x.com

• Chhello Divas - Youth new-wave box office hit (2015)

  College-friendship hit that broke Gujarati stereotypes

  Krishnadev Yagnik's Chhello Divas (2015) grossed around Rs 18 crore on strong word of mouth and pushed producers toward contemporary urban stories.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Kevi Rite Jaish - The 'new wave' box office landmark (2012)

  Film credited with starting Dhollywood's urban new wave

  Abhishek Jain's Kevi Rite Jaish (2012) was a landmark grosser whose success is credited with starting the urban 'new wave' of Gujarati cinema.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya - Blockbuster of traditional Dhollywood (1998)

  One of the biggest hits of the pre-new-wave era

  The 1998 film Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya is cited among the highest-grossing traditional Gujarati films, reportedly earning around Rs 22 crore over its long run.

  Source: theindianwire.com

Milestones

• Laalo - First Gujarati film to release in Poland (2025)

  New overseas territory for Gujarati cinema

  Laalo became the first Gujarati film to be released theatrically in Poland.

  Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

• Laalo - VPF waiver from PVR INOX, Cinepolis and Star Studio18 (2025)

  Rare fee waiver usually reserved for major films

  Multiplex chains PVR INOX, Cinepolis and Star Studio18 reportedly granted Laalo a Virtual Print Fee waiver, an arrangement uncommon for a Gujarati regional film.

  Source: bollywoodhungama.com

• Vash Level 2 - Sequel to the National Award-winning Vash (2025)

  Follow-up to a National Award winner

  A sequel titled Vash Level 2 was released on 27 August 2025, following the success of the National Award-winning Vash.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Chaal Jeevi Laiye! - Called the 'Sholay of Gujarati cinema' (2020)

  Landmark status in the Gujarati industry

  Trade coverage nicknamed Chaal Jeevi Laiye! the Sholay of Gujarati cinema after it completed 50 weeks in theatres and was re-released in 2020.

  Source: bollywoodhungama.com

Remakes

• Chaal Jeevi Laiye! - Remade in Marathi as Ole Aale (2024) (2024)

  Gujarati hit adapted for Marathi audiences

  Chaal Jeevi Laiye! was remade in Marathi as Ole Aale (2024) starring Nana Patekar, Siddharth Chandekar and Sayali Sanjeev.

  Source: Wikipedia

• Vash - Remade in Hindi as Shaitaan (2024) (2024)

  Gujarati horror original remade into a Bollywood hit

  Vash was remade in Hindi as Shaitaan (2024), directed by Vikas Bahl and starring Ajay Devgn, R. Madhavan and Jyothika, with Janki Bodiwala reprising her role.

  Source: Wikipedia

Critical reception

• Chhello Show - 94% Rotten Tomatoes critics score (2022)

  High international critical acclaim

  On Rotten Tomatoes, 94 percent of critics' reviews for Chhello Show / Last Film Show are positive, with an average rating of 7.7 out of 10.

  Source: rottentomatoes.com