**Executive Summary**
The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 declared 'Bandish Bandits Season 02' as the Best Web Series (OTT). The series was lauded by the jury for making arts and music accessible to all. The award reflects IFFI’s commitment to promoting innovation in India's growing OTT ecosystem.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Award Details:**
* 'Bandish Bandits Season 02' won the Best Web Series (OTT) award at the 56th IFFI.
* The award ceremony took place on 28 November 2025.
* The series is directed by Anand Tiwari and created by Amritpal Singh Bindra and Anand Tiwari, produced by Leo Media Collective Pvt. Ltd, and streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
* The award recognizes exceptional artistic merit, technical excellence, and cultural impact.
* It includes a cash prize of ₹10,00,000, shared between the creators and the OTT platform, along with individual certificates.
* **Series Overview:**
* 'Bandish Bandits Season 02' explores love, ambition, and legacy set in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and Shimla Hills.
* The series features a stellar cast including Ritwik Bhowmik and Shreya Chaudhry.
* **IFFI's Objectives:**
* The award aims to celebrate creativity, innovation, and regional diversity in web content.
* IFFI strengthens its commitment to fostering digital storytelling and positioning India as a global OTT hub.
* **IFFI Information:**
* IFFI was established in 1952.
* The 56th edition promises a dazzling spectrum of languages, genres, innovations, and voices, staged against Goa's coastal backdrop from November 20–28.
* **Contact & Further Information:**
* IFFI Website: [https://www.iffigoa.org/](https://www.iffigoa.org/)
* PIB's IFFI Microsite: [https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56/](https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56/)
* PIB IFFIWood Broadcast Channel: [https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU6gnzWOm3F](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU6gnzWOm3F)
* X Handles: @IFFIGoa, @PIB\_India, @PIB\_Panaji
* For journalists, bloggers, and vloggers wanting to connect with filmmakers for interviews/interactions, reach out to iffi.mediadesk@pib.gov.in with the subject line: Take One with PIB.
**Impact Analysis**
**OTT Platform & Creators**
* **Impact**: Receives recognition and increased visibility. The platform shares the cash prize of ₹10,00,000.
* **Action Required**: The creators receive their share of the cash prize and individual certificates.
**Ministry of Information & Broadcasting**
* **Impact**: Showcases India's growing OTT ecosystem and IFFI's commitment to nurturing innovation.
* **Action Required**: Continue supporting and promoting digital storytelling initiatives.
**Viewers/Audience**
* **Impact**: Gains access to award-winning content and awareness of diverse Indian narratives.
* **Action Required**: Engage with the series on Amazon Prime Video and participate in discussions surrounding Indian digital storytelling.
**Media (Journalists, Bloggers, Vloggers)**
* **Impact**: Opportunity to cover the IFFI event, interview filmmakers, and report on the Indian OTT landscape.
* **Action Required**: Reach out to iffi.mediadesk@pib.gov.in to connect with filmmakers for interviews/interactions.
Key Entities Referenced
International Film Festival of India: An annual film festival held in India.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: The Indian government ministry responsible for information and broadcasting.
Bandish Bandits Season 02: An Indian web series that won the Best Web Series (OTT) Award at IFFI.
Goa: The Indian state where the International Film Festival of India is held.
✨ IFFI closes but never ends…
56th IFFI Crowns ‘Bandish Bandits Season 02’ as Best Web Series
(OTT)
Jury Praises the Series for its Story that Makes Arts and Music Accessible to All
The honour reflects IFFI’s commitment to nurturing innovation in India’s rapidly
growing OTT ecosystem
#IFFIWood, 28 November 2025
In a resounding celebration of India’s flourishing digital storytelling landscape, ‘Bandish Bandits
Season 02’ has been declared the Best Web Series (OTT) at the 56th International Film Festival of
India 2025. Directed by Anand Tiwari, the acclaimed Hindi series is created by Amritpal Singh Bindra
and Anand Tiwari, produced by Leo Media Collective Pvt. Ltd, and streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
The jury unanimously selected the series from a strong shortlist, commending it for “making arts and
music accessible to all.” Creators of the show, Amritpal Singh Bindra and Anand Tiwari received the
award from Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary
Affairs, in a magnificent ceremony today. Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information &
Broadcasting was present.Set between the soulful terrains of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and the serene Shimla Hills, ‘Bandish Bandits
Season 02’ continues its exploration of love, ambition, and legacy through the journeys of Radhe and
Tamanna. While Radhe’s family grapples with personal and musical upheavals in their ancestral home,
Tamanna charts her own path as she begins afresh at the Royal Himalayan Music School. The
narrative crescendos as both are thrust into a national televised competition, an arena where old
wounds resurface, ambitions collide, and destinies are rewritten.
🎶🏆 'Bandish Bandits Season 2' takes home the Best Web Series (OTT)
Award at the 56th International Film Festival of India#IFFI2025 #IFFI56 #I
FFIGoa pic.twitter.com/8qUQ3trqgw
— PIB in Goa 🇮🇳 (@PIB_Panaji) November 28, 2025
Featuring a stellar ensemble cast including Ritwik Bhowmik, Shreya Chaudhry, Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba
Chadha, Divya Dutta, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Atul Kulkarni, Saurabh Nayyar, Aaliyah Qureishi, Yashaswini
Dayama, and Rohan Gurbaxani, the season blends emotional depth with musical mastery, reaffirming
its place among India’s most beloved contemporary web series.
Earlier during the festival, Jury Chairperson Bharatbala, along with distinguished jury members
Shekhar Das, Munjal Shroff, and Rajeshwari Sachdev, addressed the media at a press conference.
They reflected on the expanding universe of digital narratives and the profound ways in which OTT
platforms are reshaping India’s creative culture. Their insights touched upon the shifting grammar of
contemporary storytelling and the audience’s growing appetite for authentic, diverse, and boundary-
pushing content across the country.
Watch the press conference here:PPrreessss CCoonnffeerreennccee || OOTTTT JJuurryy || ##IIFFFFII22002255
Introduced at the 54th edition of IFFI in 2023, the Best Web Series (OTT) Award reflects India’s
evolving entertainment landscape and the meteoric rise of digital-first storytelling. The award aims to
celebrate creativity, innovation, and regional diversity in web content produced across India’s vibrant
OTT ecosystem.
The award recognises exceptional artistic merit, technical excellence, and cultural impact. It carries a
cash prize of ₹10,00,000, shared between the creators and the OTT platform, along with individual
certificates.
By honouring outstanding web series each year, IFFI strengthens its commitment to fostering India’s
digital storytelling revolution and positioning the country as a global hub for OTT creativity.
About IFFI
Born in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) stands tall as South Asia’s oldest and
largest celebration of cinema. Jointly hosted by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC),
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and the Entertainment Society of Goa
(ESG), State Government of Goa, the festival has grown into a global cinematic powerhouse—where
restored classics meet bold experiments, and legendary maestros share space with fearless first-
timers. What makes IFFI truly sparkle is its electric mix—international competitions, cultural
showcases, masterclasses, tributes, and the high-energy WAVES Film Bazaar, where ideas, deals and
collaborations take flight. Staged against Goa’s stunning coastal backdrop from November 20–28, the
56th edition promises a dazzling spectrum of languages, genres, innovations, and voices—an
immersive celebration of India’s creative brilliance on the world stage.
For more information, click on:
IFFI Website: https://www.iffigoa.org/
PIB’s IFFI Microsite: https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56/
PIB IFFIWood Broadcast Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU
6gnzWOm3F
X Handles: @IFFIGoa, @PIB_India, @PIB_Panaji
* * *PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Ritu Shukla/Sreeshma K/Darshana Rane | IFFI 56 - 110
Great films resonate through passionate voices. Share your love
for cinema with #IFFI2025, #AnythingForFilms and
#FilmsKeLiyeKuchBhi. Tag us @pib_goa on Instagram, and we'll
help spread your passion! For journalists, bloggers, and vloggers
wanting to connect with filmmakers for interviews/interactions,
reach out to us at iffi.mediadesk@pib.gov.in with the subject
line: Take One with PIB.
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