‘Drishyam 2’ to ‘Tumhari Sulu’: Re-looking at IIFA’s last 5 Best Film winners

As the 24th International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) unfold in Abu Dhabi, the excitement among the masses is palpable. The crème de la crème of Bollywood has gathered to celebrate cinematic excellence. As we await the announcement of this year’s winners, let's take a stroll down memory lane and revisit the past five years of IIFA's most coveted honour—the Best Film award.

From thrilling dramas to heartwarming tales, these exceptional films have captivated audiences and left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. Beginning with the gripping 'Drishyam 2' to the poignant 'Tumhari Sallu', we relive the magic of IIFA's Best Film winners, exploring what made them stand out and earning them this prestigious recognition.

Best film in 2023: ‘Drishyam 2’

A sequel to 2015’s ‘Drishyam’, ‘Drishyam 2’ saw Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and Shriya Saran reprise their roles as Vijay Salgaonkar, Nandini Salgaonkar, and Meera Deshmukh, while Akshaye Khanna joined the cast as IG Tarun Ahlawat. Similar to the prequel, ‘Drishyam 2’ was also a critically acclaimed and a commercial success. In fact, it beat its prequel at the box office; while ‘Drishyam’s lifetime collections are Rs. 147 crore, ‘Drishyam 2’ earned Rs. 345 crore. Directed by Abhishek Pathak, it went on to win the Best Film award at the 23rd IIFA Awards.

Best film in 2022: ‘Shershaah’

Not just Best Film, but Dharma Productions’ ‘Shershaah’ won multiple awards at the 22nd edition of the awards ceremony. Out of the 12 nominations, it won at least six awards at IIFA. Director Vishnuvardhan, who predominantly works in Tamil cinema, made his Hindi debut with this Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani-starrer and won the Best Director award for it. ‘Shershaa’ is a biographical war film based on the life of Captain Vikram Batra (PVC).

Best film in 2021 - ‘Kabir Singh’

Sandeep Reddy Vanga made his Hindi directorial debut with ‘Kabir Singh’, a Hindi remake of Telugu film ‘Arjun Reddy', which was also directed by him. Starring Shahid Kapoor in the titular role, the film bagged a total of eight nominations at the IIFA Awards, winning at least four, including Best Film and Best Actor. Released in 2019 and made on a budget of Rs. 90 crore, ‘Kabir Singh’ was a huge commercial success as it collected Rs. 379 crore.

Best film in 2019: ‘Raazi’

Meghna Gulzar’s spy thriller film ‘Raazi’, starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, was adjudged as the Best Film. The film was nominated under 10 categories, of which it won four awards: Best Film, Best Actress, Best Male Playback Singer, and Best Female Playback Singer. ‘Raazi’s premise is set prior to the Indo-Pak War of 1971. It is adapted from Harinder Sikka's novel ‘Calling Sehmat,’ about a real Indian intelligence agent who married into a Pakistani army family on her father’s behest to relay information to India.

Best film in 2018: ‘Tumhari Sulu’

Directed by Suresh Triveni, ‘Tumhari Sulu’ is a comedy drama featuring Vidya Balan as Sulochana ‘Sulu’ Dubey. The film revolves around a housewife who decides to become a radio jockey and is hired for a late-night show on love and relationship advice. Despite being nominated in six categories, including Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Story, ‘Tumhari Sulu’ won only one award: Best Film.