Filmfare Awards 2018: Irrfan, Rajkummar, Vidya win as content rules

The 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards proved to be a night filled with stars, style and quite a few winners. Irrfan Khan won the coveted Best Actor in a Leading Role award for his performance in Hindi Medium (2017), while Rajkummar Rao went home with the Critics' Award for Best Actor (Male) for Trapped (2017) and the Best Actor in a Supporting Role award for Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017).

The gala event was held at the NSCI Dome, Mumbai on 20 January. 

Hosted by Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar, the night saw a recognition of films with good content. The absence of the usual star-names like Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in the list, made it a rare evening. Among the films to win big was Saket Chaudhary's Hindi Medium, which also won the Best Film award. 

In his tweet post the event, Irrfan wrote that the award was a "celebration of a story that is told from the heart, of good content and most of all the want and sincerity to inculcate and encourage change."

Bareilly Ki Barfi also won Tiwari the coveted black lady for the Best Director award. 

Incidentally, Rajkummar's exemption from the Best Actor category in the popular awards category earned a lot of criticism on social media. The actor was a major part of three critically acclaimed and successful films in 2017 — Trapped, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Newton. 

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Amit Masurkar's Oscar going Newton lost out on the Best Film trophy, but was chosen as the Critics' Award for Best Film. Masurkar also won the Best Original Story award for his conception of an idealistic electoral officer's struggle with the reality of Indian democracy. 

Among the women folk, Vidya Balan won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) award for her performance as the housewife turned late-night radio jockey in Tumhari Sulu (2017). This was Vidya's third Filmfare award as Best Actress, and sixth overall. 

While he was absent, as usual, Aamir Khan's presence in Secret Superstar did prove lucky to the team. Zaira Wasim won the Critics' Award for Best Actress (Female) for her performance in Advait Chandan's film, while Meher Vij won the Critics' Award for Best Supporting Actress (Female). Meghna Mishra also won the Best Playback Singer (Female) for the 'Nachdi Phira' song from the film. 

Arijit Singh walked home with the trophy for Best Playback Singer (Male) for his rendition of 'Roke Na Ruke Naina' from Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017), starring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. 

While Anurag Basu's Jagga Jasoos was widely panned at the box office, the film's music proved a winner at the Filmfare awards 2018. Music composer Pritam went home with the awards for Best Background Score and Best Music Album for the film. Amitabh Bhattacharya won the award for Best Lyrics for his creation of the wacky 'Ullu Ka Patha' in Basu's film, while Vijay Ganguly and Ruel Dausan Varindani won the prize for Best Choreography for the song 'Galti Se Mistake'. 

Konkona Sensharma's first venture as director with A Death In The Gunj earned her the Best Debut Director gong. Another debutante winning the night was Subhashish Bhutiani, who won the prize for Best Screenplay for the very underrated Mukti Bhawan (2017). 

In its 63rd year, the awards also saw a new category for short films. Jackie Shroff ended up winning his first Filmfare for Best Actor (In A Short Film) for the wacky, surprising performance in 'Khujli'. Shefali Shah's touching, and brilliant performance as a woman facing sexism even in her own house in Juice won her the Best Actor In a Short Film (Female) award. 

Keeping with tradition, the awards night saw Bappi Lahiri and Mala Sinha being feted with the Lifetime Achievement Awards before heading to a conclusion. 

Following is the complete list of winners: 

Best Film: Hindi Medium
Critics' Award for Best Film: Newton

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female): Vidya Balan for Tumhari Sulu
Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male) : Irrfan Khan for Hindi Medium
Critics' Award for Best Actor (Male): Rajkummar Rao for Trapped
Critics' Award for Best Actor (Female): Zaira Wasim for Secret Superstar

Best Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari for Bareilly Ki Barfi
Best Debut Director: Konkona Sensharma for A Death In The Gunj

Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Male): Rajkummar Rao for Bareilly Ki Barfi
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Meher Vij for Secret Superstar

Best Dialogue: Hitesh Kewalya for Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Best Screenplay: Shubhashish Bhutiani for Mukti Bhavan
Best Original Story: Amit Masurkar for Newton

Best Actor (Male) in a Short Film: Jackie Shroff for Khujli
Best Actor (Female) in a Short Film: Shefali Shah for Juice
People's Choice Award for Best Short Film: Anahut
Best Short Film (Fiction): Juice

Best Music Album: Pritam for Jagga Jasoos
Best Playback Singer (Male): Arijit Singh for 'Roke Na Ruke Naina' - Badrinath Ki Dulhania
Best Playback Singer (Female): Meghna Mishra for 'Nachdi Phira' - Secret Superstar
Best Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya for 'Ullu Ka Pattha' - Jagga Jasoos

Lifetime Achievement Award: Mala Sinha and Bappi Lahiri

Best Choreography: Vijay Ganguly and Ruel Dausan Varindani for 'Galti Se Mistake' - Jagga Jasoos
Best Background Score: Pritam for Jagga Jasoos

Best Cinematography: Sirsha Ray for A Death In The Gunj
Best Editing: Nitin Baid for Trapped
Best Production Design: Parul Sondh for Daddy