Laapataa Ladies dominates IIFA Awards 2025 with 10 wins, Nitanshi Goel bags Best Performance in leading role award

Kiran Rao’s highly acclaimed film Laapataa Ladies dominated the IIFA Awards, securing an impressive 10 trophies at the grand ceremony in Jaipur.

Celebrating a significant milestone, the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend & Awards marked its 25th-anniversary edition in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Set against the city’s historic charm and cultural richness, the Silver Jubilee Edition of IIFA showcased a grand celebration of cinema, honoring creativity, innovation, and the timeless impact of storytelling.

Kiran Rao’s highly acclaimed film Laapataa Ladies dominated the IIFA Awards, securing an impressive 10 trophies at the grand ceremony in Jaipur. The film, which was also India’s official entry for the Oscars, triumphed across all major categories.

Rao was honored with the Best Director award, while Nitanshi Goel received the Best Performance in a Leading Role (Female) for her portrayal of Phool, a lost bride. Laapataa Ladies also claimed the coveted Best Picture award, cementing its position as the biggest winner of the night. During her acceptance speech after winning the award, Nitanshi said, "It’s a rare privilege to win an award for a film like Laapataa Ladies. It’s been a wonderful night. It’s a rare privilege to make a film like this. There’s absolutely nothing to compare with the love of people who say that we’ve not just watched your film once, but multiple times. It’s what a filmmaker lives for. So thank you for watching our films."

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An overwhelmed Nitanshi Goel shared that she had grown up watching the IIFA Awards on television and never imagined she would one day stand on the stage herself. She expressed that being part of a film produced by Aamir Khan Productions was a dream come true and an incredible honour. Grateful for the love her character Phool had received, she urged the audience to continue supporting the film.

Goel also asked aspiring actors to never stop dreaming. "If I can stand here, then you can also. Please dream big and they come true," she said, before referencing Shah Rukh Khan’s popular dialogue from Om Shanti Om.

Also read: Kareena Kapoor pays musical tribute to grandfather Raj Kapoor at IIFA, dances to Mera Joota Hai Japani

Ravi Kishan and Pratibha Ranta, Goel's co-stars in Laapataa Ladies, were also honored at the IIFA Awards, winning Best Supporting Role (Male) and Best Debut (Female), respectively.

The film dominated the technical categories as well, with Biplab Goswami receiving the Best Story (Original) award, while Sneha Desai was recognized for Best Screenplay. Jabeen Merchant won Best Editing, further adding to the film’s impressive tally. Additionally, Prashant Pandey was awarded Best Lyrics for the soulful track Sajni, and Ram Sampath took home the Best Music honour.

Also read: Govinda alleges that Bollywood once conspired against him, 'they wanted to remove me'

For those unversed, Laapataa Ladies tells the story of two young newly-wed brides who get exchanged during a train ride to their husband's homes. 'Laapataa Ladies was India's official entry in the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards, although it got out of the race.

For those unfamiliar, Laapataa Ladies follows the journey of two young brides who are mistakenly swapped during a train ride to their husbands' homes. The film was India’s official submission for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards, though it did not make it to the final nominations. It stars Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava and Ravi Kishan in key roles.