The inaugural edition of the NDTV Marathi Entertainment Awards 2025 unfolded in a dazzling spectacle, bringing together the biggest icons, visionaries, and trailblazers from Marathi cinema, television and OTT realm.

As the grandest celebration of Marathi entertainment, the prestigious awards night, held recently in Mumbai, was a fitting tribute to the talent and creativity shaping the industry’s future, NDTV said in a statement.

The awards ceremony brought together industry veterans, emerging artists, and content creators under one roof, acknowledging their contributions to shaping the landscape of Marathi entertainment. With a meticulous selection process led by an esteemed jury, the awards spanned categories across film, television, and digital content, ensuring that excellence was recognized across all storytelling platforms.

The NDTV Marathi Entertainment Awards 2025 recognized the finest in Marathi entertainment with ‘Paani’ winning the coveted Best Film award. Adinath M Kothare (‘Paani’), was recognised as Best Director for exceptional storytelling and vision.

While pointing out that‘Paani’ was a very important film for him and he was overwhelmed that it has been “recognised” and appreciated at this prestigious platform with such honours, Kothare thanked his entire team for believing in the vision.

Adding to the evening’s prestige, Riteish Deshmukh, who was the face of the channel during its launch last year was named Entertainer of the Year 2025. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “NDTV Marathi Awards are a phenomenal encouragement for us artists. They give us the energy to work even harder at our craft. So, I’d like to thank the channel for this endeavour.”

The highlight of the night was the emotional standing ovation that greeted legendary actor Ashok Saraf as he accepted the Legendary Marathi Star award. He observed, “I consider myself a lucky man that I have been recognised in the very first year of the NDTV Marathi Entertainment Awards. I have won many awards, but this one is very special to me because it has come in the inaugural year of this property, and to have my name in the very first winners list is truly a memorable moment for me.”

In the acting categories, ‘Phullwanti’ swept the awards with Gashmeer Mahajani and Prajakta Mali winning Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role, respectively, for their mesmerizing performances that resonated deeply with audiences.

On the television and digital front, ‘Lampan’ (Sony LIV) secured the Best Series award, while ‘Manvat Murders’ stars Makarand Anaspure and Sonali Kulkarni won Best Actor and Best Actress in a Series, respectively, for their gripping performances.

The evening also celebrated cinematic brilliance beyond mainstream success with the Critics’ Choice Awards. ‘Dharmaveer 2’ took home the Best Film (Critics) award, while Prasad Oak (‘Dharmaveer 2’) and Rajshri Deshpande (‘Satyashodhak’) were crowned Best Actor (Critics) and Best Actress (Critics) for their powerful portrayals.