Maharashtra State Film Awards
| Maharashtra State Film Awards | |
|---|---|
| Current: 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards | |
 Maharashtra State Film Award Sculpture | |
| Awarded for | Excellence in cinematic achievements for Marathi cinema |
| Country | India |
| Presented by | Government of Maharashtra |
| First award | 1 May 1962 |
Maharashtra State Film Awards, one of the prestigious awards of Marathi cinema, are awarded by the Government of Maharashtra to Marathi language films and artists. They were first awarded in 1962.[1]
The Maharashtra State Film Awards are adjudicated by an independent jury jointly formed by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra. The jury typically comprises eminent personalities from the film industry. A separate jury is constituted for the awards recognizing literature on cinema. Films are invited for consideration annually, and the jury evaluates the submissions to select the winners. The awards aim to promote artistic excellence in cinema and incentivize filmmakers, technicians, and producers. The Minister for Cultural Affairs announces the awardees, who are presented with the prizes by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.[2][3]
History
The awards were first instituted by the Government of Maharashtra in 1962. Maharashtra was the first state in India to establish such a system of state-level film awards. The inaugural awards recognised Marathi films made between 1 January 1961 and 1 August 1962. The first prize for Best Film was awarded to Prapanch, directed by Madhukar Pathak.[4]
Juries and rules
The Maharashtra State Film Awards are adjudicated by an independent jury constituted by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The jury generally consists of experienced personalities from the Marathi film industry and related fields, including actors, directors, writers, technicians and other professionals. A separate jury is also constituted for awards recognising literature on cinema. Films are invited for consideration each year, following which the submitted films are screened and evaluated by the appointed jury. The jury selects the winners in various artistic and technical categories. The composition of the jury is not permanent and may change from one edition to another.[5]
Current categories
The awards are presented in several categories recognising artistic, popular and technical achievements in cinema. The awards broadly comprise Honorary Awards, Popular Awards and Technical Awards, covering various aspects of filmmaking and performances. The Honorary Awards recognise distinguished contributions to the development and growth of cinema. The V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award is presented for an outstanding contribution to Marathi cinema, while the Raj Kapoor Award recognises an outstanding contribution to Hindi cinema.[6] The V. Shantaram Special Contribution Award and Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award are also presented for significant contributions to Marathi and Hindi cinema, respectively.[7]
The Popular Awards recognise achievements in areas such as acting and other aspects of popular cinema, while the Technical Awards recognise excellence in various technical and creative crafts involved in film production. The awards are intended to recognise and encourage artistic excellence, technical achievement and significant contributions to the development of cinema in Maharashtra. Award recipients are presented with a Statuette and a cash prize.[8]
Lifetime Achievement
| Year introduced | Category |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Lata Mangeshkar Award |
| 1993 | V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 1997 | Raj Kapoor Award |
Special Contribution
| Year introduced | Category |
|---|---|
| 2008 | V. Shantaram Special Contribution Award |
| Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award |
Popular awards
Discontinued and intermittent categories
Following are the discontinued Maharashtra State Film Awards category:
Special Jury Award
Best Documentary
Best Publicity Design
References
- ↑ "Maharashtra State Film Awards 2025 winners announced: Prasad Oak, Rani Mukerji, Salim Khan honoured". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "६२ वे राज्य मराठी चित्रपट पुरस्कार जाहीर; प्राथमिक फेरीची नामांकने आणि तांत्रिक व बालकलाकारांच्या नावांची घोषणा Mumbai Marathi News | 62nd state marathi film awards announced preliminary round nominations and names of technical and child artists announced | Latest Mumbai News at Lokmat.com". LOKMAT (in Marathi). 28 March 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "६२ वे राज्य मराठी चित्रपट पुरस्कार जाहीर; प्राथमिक फेरीची नामांकने आणि तांत्रिक व बालकलाकारांच्या नावांची घोषणा Mumbai Marathi News | 62nd state marathi film awards announced preliminary round nominations and names of technical and child artists announced | Latest Mumbai News at Lokmat.com". LOKMAT (in Marathi). 28 March 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ "६१ व्या राज्य मराठी चित्रपट पुरस्काराच्या प्राथमिक फेरीची नामांकनं जाहीर". newsonair.gov.in (in Marathi). Archived from the original on 27 July 2025.
- ↑ "Deadline for submitting entries for Maharashtra State Marathi Film Awards extended". The Times of India. 3 December 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Maharashtra: Top state awards for Mahesh Manjrekar, Anupam Kher, Kajol & Mukta Barve". The Indian Express. 18 April 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
- ↑ team, abp majha web (29 July 2026). "ज्येष्ठ संगीतकार हृदयनाथ मंगेशकरांना व्ही शांताराम पुरस्कार, प्रसाद ओक, सलीम खान, राणी मुखर्जीच". ABP Majha (in Marathi). Retrieved 16 August 2026.
- ↑ "Maharashtra State Film Awards 2025 winners: Prasad Oak, Rani Mukerji, Salim Khan honoured". The Indian Express. 29 July 2026.