The Indian National Cine Academy (INCA) will host the first edition of its awards in Mumbai on April 15 and 16, 2026, marking a major step towards bringing the country's diverse film industries onto a single, credible national stage. Conceived as an academy-style honours system, the initiative seeks to move beyond region-based recognition and celebrate Indian cinema as one collective creative force.
Backed by the Producers Guild of India as Chief Patron, INCA is designed to function as a transparent, peer-driven platform where industry professionals themselves determine the winners. The project is led by filmmaker Vishnu Vardhan Induri and the team behind the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) and SIIMA, with Kalyan Jewellers joining as the presenting sponsor for the inaugural edition.
The awards will recognise Best Film, Best Actor and Best Actress in 12 Indian languages — Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, Assamese and Bhojpuri — ensuring equal visibility for each industry. Additionally, pan-India honours will recognise excellence in direction, acting, music, debut achievements and key technical fields, ensuring that regional successes stand alongside the country's finest cinematic talent.
Entries are currently open for films released between January 1 and December 31, 2025, with March 1 set as the last date for submissions through the official INCA website.
The concept of INCA was first unveiled at a media event in Mumbai in January, where leading names from multiple film industries came together to support the vision of a long-term national institution for cinema. Beyond the awards, the academy plans to build a comprehensive talent database of actors, technicians and creators across industries to encourage cross-regional collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Speaking about the initiative, founder Vishnu Vardhan Induri said, “INCA is being built with intent, integrity and purpose. Our goal is to create a permanent national institution that enables collaboration across industries, celebrates excellence fairly, and builds a universal talent database for Indian cinema.”
With its focus on credibility, inclusivity and equal representation, the inaugural INCA Awards aim to redefine how Indian cinema is recognised — not as separate regional sectors, but as one unified cultural and creative ecosystem.
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