As 2025 draws to a close, Vicky Kaushal and Janhvi Kapoor have emerged as Bollywood's brightest stars, clinching the prestigious 'NDTV Actor of the Year' awards in the Male and Female categories, respectively. Neeraj Ghaywan was give the 'NDTV Director Of The Year' award for his Oscar-nominated film 'Homebound'.
Both the actors balanced big-ticket releases with career-defining pivots. In a crowded calendar of sequels, franchises and festival premieres, the citations underline a simple theme: performances that travelled beyond opening-weekend chatter.
"I did this film (Homebound) without wanting anything or any expectation. It is ironic then that this film has given me the most. It made me recognise the person and the artist I want to be. It made me sensitive to the cracks in our society, the unimaginable hope and goodness in it, the beauty, the terror, the division and the unity in it," Janhvi Kapoor said.
Vicky Kaushal dominated screens with his critically acclaimed action-drama 'Chhaava', portraying Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, which shattered box-office records and earned him rave reviews for his intense performance.
Off-screen, Kaushal’s year blended the public and the personal: he made a widely reported spiritual visit to the Maha Kumbh ahead of Chhaava’s release, and later, he and Katrina Kaif welcomed their first child - a baby boy whom he described as the 'biggest moment' of his 2025.
Kapoor’s year, meanwhile, showcased range rather than repetition. She started her year with Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, which premiered at Cannes and later reached theatres, then the glossy rom-com Param Sundari and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.
Industry voices have also highlighted her growing confidence and work. Kapoor's has been steadily evolving with performances that is cutting through the noise.
With these NDTV Actor Of The Year Wins, NDTV signals a 2025 trend: stardom built not just on openings and hashtags, but on versatility — and on taking risks that audiences, and awards juries, can recognise.
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