The prestigious Critics Choice Awards 2024 nominations have been unveiled, bringing to the limelight a series of performances and cinematic entries that have shaped the past year with their storytelling and creative prowess. With a palette of narratives that span across seven languages—Hindi, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, and more—the feature film nominations are a testament to the rich diversity of the cinematic universe.
The array of films contending for Best Film is a showcase of exceptional narratives that have captivated audiences and critics alike. The contenders include ’12th Fail,’ ‘Dhuin,’ ‘Fire in the Mountains,’ ‘Joram,’ ‘Kaathal – The Core,’ ‘Koozhangal (Pebbles),’ ‘Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam,’ ‘Shesh Pata,’ ‘Three of Us,’ and ‘Tora’s Husband.’
In the Best Actor category, the sheer talent of the nominees is undeniable. Vikrant Massey for his role in “12th Fail,” Abhinav Jha for “Dhuin,” the acclaimed Manoj Bajpayee for “Joram,” seasoned actor Mammootty in “Kaathal – The Core,” and Prosenjit Chatterjee for his performance in “Shesh Pata” are all in the running for the coveted award.
Parallelly, the Best Actress category boasts of powerful performances from talented actresses, with Vinamrata Rai for “Fire in the Mountains,” Kalki Koechlin for “Goldfish,” Jyothika in “Kaathal – The Core,” Shefali Shah for “Three of Us,” and Shahana Goswami’s role in “Zwigato” competing for top honors.
Supporting roles have also been pivotal in many feature films this past year. For Best Supporting Actor, names like Ambarish Bhattacharya for “Ardhangini,” Pankaj Kapur for “Bheed,” Aditya Rawal in “Faraaz,” Jaideep Ahlawat for “Jaane Jaan,” and Sudhi Kozhikode in “Kaathal – The Core” have been highlighted. Best Supporting Actress nominations include Jaya Ahsan for “Ardhangini,” Deepti Naval for “Goldfish,” Smita Tambe for “Joram,” Gunjalamma in “Pinki Elli? (Where Is Pinki?),” and Gargee Roy Chowdhury for “Shesh Pata.”
Excellence in writing, an art form crucial to the success of any film, is recognized with nominations for teams from “12th Fail,” “Dhuin,” “Joram,” “Koozhangal (Pebbles),” and “Tora’s Husband” who have crafted compelling stories worthy of acclaim.
Turning the spotlight to those behind the visuals, nominations for Best Director feature Vidhu Vinod Chopra for “12th Fail,” Devashish Makhija for “Joram,” P. S. Vinothraj for “Koozhangal (Pebbles),” Avinash Arun Dhaware for “Three of Us,” and Rima Das for “Tora’s Husband.” This category honors the vision and direction that brought these stories to life on screen.
In the realm of technical artistry, Best Editing includes Achal Mishra for “Dhuin,” Abhro Banerjee for “Joram,” Ganesh Siva for “Koozhangal (Pebbles),” Sanyukta Kaza for “Three of Us,” and Rima Das for “Tora’s Husband.” Meanwhile, mastery in cinematography is recognized with nominees such as Anand Bansal for “Dhuin,” Piyush Puty for “Joram,” and the teams behind “Koozhangal (Pebbles),” “Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam,” and “Three of Us.”
The web series landscape is also celebrated with nominations for Best Web Series, which include ‘Dahaad,’ ‘Farzi,’ ‘Jubilee,’ ‘Kohrra,’ and ‘Trial by Fire.’ Outstanding direction for web series sees nominations for Reema Kagti and Ruchika Oberoi for “Dahaad,” Vikramaditya Motwane for “Jubilee,” Randeep Jha for “Kohrra,” Konkona Sen Sharma for “Lust Stories S2: The Mirror,” and a triumvirate of directors for “Trial by Fire.”
Writers are the backbone of any compelling series, and nominations for Best Writing in web series acknowledge the talent behind “Dahaad,” “Jubilee,” “Kohrra,” “Lust Stories S2: The Mirror,” and “Trial by Fire.” Actors Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Varma, Suvinder Vicky, Gagan Dev Riar, and Kay Kay Menon vie for Best Actor in a web series, with their female counterparts including Sonakshi Sinha, Wamiqa Gabbi, Tillotama Shome, Karishma Tanna, and Rajshri Deshpande.
The short film segment also garners attention with nominations for Best Short Film, Director, Actor, Actress, Writing, and Cinematography. Celebrating the typically unsung and impactful world of short films, these nominations capture the essence of storytelling in its most concise and powerful form.
In sum, the Critics Choice Awards 2024 nominations reflect a year rich with cinematic and narrative complexity, applauding the remarkable talent that continues to emerge and captivate audiences with their craft across an array of formats and genres.
