The 24th Zee Cine Awards 2026, presented by Maruti Suzuki, were held in Mumbai across February 28 and March 1, 2026, at the NSCI Dome / Dome SVP Stadium (Worli). The fan-first edition leaned into the “FANtertainment” pitch with performances, a packed red carpet, and a split of Viewer’s Choice and Jury honours.
Hosted by Rajkummar Rao and Aparshakti Khurana, the gala celebrated Hindi cinema from the 2025 film year.
Major highlights & winners
Debutants from Saiyaara emerged as the night’s biggest breakout story. Aneet Padda won Viewer’s Choice Best Actor (Female), Best Debut (Female) and the Glow & Lovely Face Special Award, while Ahaan Panday took home Best Debut (Male).
On the fan-voted front, Vicky Kaushal won Viewer’s Choice Best Actor (Male) for Chhaava.
In the jury categories, Akshay Kumar won Best Actor (Male) – Jury for Kesari Chapter 2, while Kriti Sanon won Best Actor (Female) – Jury for Tere Ishk Mein.
A standout special mention went to Shubhangi Dutt, who received Outstanding Performance for Social Impact for Tanvi: The Great—with reports also noting a special message/letter of appreciation from director Anupam Kher.
Fan-first focus
Voting for the Viewer’s Choice categories ran Feb 12–25, 2026, positioning the show as a direct fan-driven celebration of mainstream Hindi cinema.
—By Manoj H