Screen Awards 2025: A Cultural Milestone Goes Digital-First with YouTube
The Indian Express Group is proud to unveil a bold reimagining of Screen Awards 2025 on YouTube, one of India’s most iconic celebrations, of cinema and storytelling.
This is not just another awards show. Screen Awards 2025 represents a powerful blend of editorial credibility, cultural legacy, and digital reach. Backed by the Indian Express Group’s journalism-first ethos, the awards are defined by integrity and merit. Winners are chosen by the Screen Academy — an independent, not-for-profit body of acclaimed filmmakers, artists, and cultural voices committed to recognising true excellence.
Anant Goenka, Executive Director of the Indian Express Group said: “Indian cinema deserves a stage that celebrates creativity beyond collections. Our storytellers carry 1.4 billion dreams — rooted in tradition and racing toward an exciting future. This award will honour that spirit and spotlight India’s boldest, most original voices. We’re thrilled YouTube shares our enthusiasm for this endeavour.”
Taking a digital-first approach to content and format, the Screen Awards will stream on YouTube — offering open access to global audiences. For the first time ever, Bollywood’s biggest stars will share the spotlight with YouTube’s most influential creators, who will be woven into every leg of this three-month-long festival — from red carpet and behind-the-scenes content to creator-led storytelling and fan engagement.
This digital-first approach reflects a fundamental shift in how audiences consume entertainment, driven by significant trends in India’s entertainment landscape, including surging internet penetration, rapid growth in Connected TVs (CTV), and increasing mobile consumption. In fact, CTV has been YouTube’s fastest-growing screen in India for the last five years, reinforcing the platform’s unique position to make premium content accessible on every screen and in every format. It brings together the richness of cinema with the intimacy and immediacy of digital storytelling — bridging generations, platforms, and communities.
Speaking on the collaboration, Gunjan Soni, Managing Director – India, YouTube said: “We are thrilled to be the digital home for the Screen Awards, bringing a cultural icon to its next chapter. YouTube is where billions of fans connect with the entertainment they love, and we’re excited for them to experience one of cinema’s biggest nights in an immersive way. By bridging Bollywood’s biggest stars with YouTube’s most influential creators, we’re building an engaged community for an iconic event and unlocking the power of fandoms.”
With unparalleled reach in India and globally, YouTube is an ideal home for the Screen Awards. According to ComScore, YouTube reaches four out of five internet users in India aged 18 and older, while entertainment videos on the platform generated over 7.5 billion daily views worldwide in 2024.
Adding to the announcement, Priyanka Sinha Jha, Curator of the Screen Awards, stated: “Established in 1995, Screen Awards has a legacy of firsts: the first jury-based film award in India, the first award show the Oscars management attended and vouched for, and the first accolade earned by several of today’s superstars. With the inception of The Screen Academy and our partnership with YouTube, we mark another first for India — building on our reputation for presenting the nation’s most credible and coveted awards, delivered with path-breaking entertainment.”