Lucknow is now emerging not merely as a hub of culture, but also as a global center for cinema and the arts — Ayub Khan
Filmmakers, directors, and artists from across the country gathered on a single platform…
Grand Conclusion of the Two-Day Lucknow International Film Festival 2025
Lucknow: The grand two-day ‘Lucknow International Film Festival 2025’ concluded successfully at the PVR INOX Cinema, Saharaganj Mall, in the ‘City of Nawabs’—Lucknow. Held on April 15 and 16, this prestigious event brought together filmmakers, directors, and artists from across the nation on a single platform, thereby immersing the cultural capital of Uttar Pradesh in the vibrant hues of cinema.
During the festival, a total of 210 films across various categories were honored. Several outstanding films received not only certificates of appreciation but also cash prizes, serving to encourage and boost the morale of the filmmakers.
The most distinctive highlight of this year’s festival was the ‘Uttar Pradesh Legends Awards.’ Instituted in memory of the state’s illustrious personalities, these awards were bestowed upon renowned figures from the Indian film industry. The recipients included Rahul Rawail (Director K. Asif Award), Raj Babbar (Actor Bharat Bhushan Award), Vishal Bhardwaj (Music Director Naushad Award), Poonam Dhillon (Actress Nargis Dutt Award), Ravi Kishan (Actor Sujit Kumar Award), Rajpal Yadav (Actor Kanhaiya Lal Award), Manoj Muntashir (Lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri Award), Kamlesh Pandey (Writer Rahi Masoom Raza Award), Dr. Vidya Bindu Singh (Atal Bihari Vajpayee Poet Award), Deepu Srivastava (Raju Srivastava Comedy Award), Juhi Chaturvedi (Munshi Premchand Literary Award), and B.N. Tiwari (B.K. Chaturvedi Sound Excellence Award).
The organizer and founder of the festival, Ayub Khan—himself a renowned writer, producer, and director—announced that the awards would be delivered to all those recipients who were unable to attend the ceremony in person. He stated that the successful organization of this international event has proven that Lucknow is no longer merely a hub of tehzeeb (refined culture), but also an emerging center for global cinema and art. At the conclusion of the event, the organizers expressed their gratitude to all the guests and the audience. Mr. Khan—originally a resident of Prayagraj and active in the Mumbai film industry for the past 45 years—announced that awards would henceforth be presented annually in the names of these 12 distinguished personalities. He remarked, “This event is an endeavor to provide an international platform to the talents of Uttar Pradesh and to promote tourism and culture within the state.”
