Mumbai, December 20, 2025 - The Producers Guild of India is set to launch the India National Cine Academy (INCA) Awards, a new initiative to honor artistic and technical excellence across the diverse landscape of Indian cinema. This move recognizes the evolving nature of the Indian film industry, where language barriers are increasingly blurred, and pan-India releases have become commonplace.
The inaugural INCA Awards ceremony is scheduled to be held in Mumbai on March 8, 2026. The concept for the awards was conceived by Vishnu Vardhan Induri, a producer and member of the Producers Guild, who also founded the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in 2012. Induri recognized the need for a unified platform to celebrate talent from all corners of the country. He proposed the idea to the Guild approximately six months ago.
The final agreement was reached on December 17 between Induri and Manish Goswami, the Vice-President of the Guild. The Producers Guild of India has committed to a five-year partnership to support the INCA Awards, aiming to represent the full spectrum of India's cinematic diversity. The awards are also expected to generate revenue for the Guild through sponsorships and broadcast rights.
Several members of the Producers Guild were involved in establishing the financial framework for the INCA Awards, including Madhu Bhojwani, Amit Khanna, Ashim Samanta, and Sharad Patel.
The National Film Awards, established in 1954 by the Government of India, are the most prestigious recognition in the Indian film industry. These awards aim to honor films that significantly contribute to Indian cinema and culture, showcasing achievements in various categories, including acting, direction, music, and production. They also provide a platform to recognize both mainstream and regional cinema, celebrating the diversity of storytelling across India's multiple languages and traditions. The awards are presented annually by the President of India.
The Producers Guild of India (GUILD) is the premier body representing producers of film, television, and digital content in India. It plays a significant role in the development of the production sector by collaborating with the government and stakeholders on critical issues such as regulatory challenges, policy matters, copyright protection, and taxation. The Guild also explores opportunities for industry growth through collaborations, partnerships, film festivals, and seminars.
The Producers Guild previously hosted the Apsara Awards (later known as the Star Guild Awards and the Producers Guild Film Awards) to recognize excellence in Hindi film and television. These awards were originated by Amit Khanna in 2004 and were a major award event until 2016.
