The 16th OTT Cinema Awards – Indie OTT Film Festival, organised by Short Film Mantra celebrating 16 years of its artistic journey, which were held on 20th September, 2026, at the Pankaj Kapadia Cultural Centre in Surat, celebrated distinguished creative achievement by honouring acclaimed actor-director Boman Irani with the Debut People’s Choice OTT Cinema Award 2026 for ‘The Mehta Boys’, while veteran theatre, television and music director, Rumi Baria was conferred the prestigious Shri Pankaj Kapadia Inspirational Award 2026, recognising his longstanding contribution to the performing arts.
‘The Mehta Boys’ marked a significant milestone in Boman Irani’s distinguished career, combining his directorial debut with a lead role. Co-written with Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris, the poignant drama explores an estranged father-son relationship over 48 hours. The film won Best Feature Film at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, while Boman Irani received Best Actor at Toronto’s International Film Festival of South Asia. It also featured at IFFI Goa and opened the Indian Film Festival Berlin, adding further distinction to Boman Irani’s transition from acclaimed actor to filmmaker.
Rumi Baria has earned a versatile reputation across Gujarati and Hindi entertainment, with an accomplished career spanning theatre direction, acting, television and music composition. Deeply associated with Gujarati commercial and experimental theatre, he has directed numerous productions. As an actor, he has also portrayed varied characters on stage and screen.
His achievements extend prominently into music. He served as Music Director for the Gujarati film ‘3 Doba: 3 Mistakes of God’ (2016), showcasing his ability to combine regional melodies with contemporary cinematic scoring. He is equally recognised for creating evocative musical compositions and background scores for live theatrical productions. Expanding his creative canvas further, Baria appeared as a supporting actor in the 2021 film ‘Chakra’. His extensive experience has also seen him mentor emerging talent through cultural and collegiate drama platforms, including ‘Muskurahat’.
The recognition of Boman Irani and Rumi Baria made the evening especially memorable for the Parsi community, celebrating two accomplished talents whose creative journeys continue to bring pride to the community.
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