Young Uttarakhand Cine Awards 2026 Nominations Announced; Ceremony Set for August 30 at Bharat Mandapam

The nominations for the 14th edition of the Young Uttarakhand Cine Awards (YUCA 2026) were officially announced during a press conference held at Hotel MJ Residency on Haridwar Road in Dehradun. The annual awards event, organized by the Young Uttarakhand group to honor exceptional talent in regional cinema and music, will hold its grand ceremony on August 30, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.  

In a significant update for regional filmmakers, the organizers revealed that the winner of the Best Film category will be awarded a special cash prize of ₹1 lakh alongside the official trophy. Supported by the social organization Abhivyakti Ki Karyashala under the guidance of Manoj Chandola, the financial grant aims to support independent producers and promote higher-quality film production across Garhwali and Kumaoni cinema.  

The organizers also announced the key honorary awards for this edition. Veteran actor Vimal Bahuguna will be honored with the Young Uttarakhand Life Time Achievement Award for his decades-long contribution to regional theater and cinema. Additionally, renowned folk singer Padma Shri Pritam Bhartwan will be presented with the Gopal Babu Goswami Legendary Singer Award.  

In the film category, major nominees for Best Actor include Shubham Semwal (Kholi Ka Ganesh), Sunil Singh (Raibar), Mohit Ghildiyal (Nikhanya Jog), Manish Dimri (Dwee Hola Jab Saath), and Hemant Pandey (Baulya Kaka). The Best Actress nominations feature Suruchi Saklani, Karishma Shah, and Kalyani Gangola. Top feature films competing for Best Film include Ghaprol, Kholi Ka Ganesh, Dwee Hola Jab Saath, and Raibar.  

The music categories feature prominent regional tracks including Panchachuli Desh, Shokyani, Mohana Madhuli, Rajuli, and Meri Maya Rauli. Legendary folk singer Narendra Singh Negi earned a nomination for Best Lyricist for the song Ko Rae Hola Chunyaal, competing alongside Ganesh Martolia, LB Shivam Bhatt, Dr. Satish Kaleshwari, and Sunil Bhatt.  

To ensure an unbiased evaluation process, the organizers formed independent jury panels comprising media professionals, cultural researchers, and film industry veterans. The film jury includes former FTII Pune director Bhupendra Kainthola, theater artist Chandra Bisht, Manoj Chandola, and film critic Jai Prakash Panwar 'JP', while the music panel includes folk singers Sunita Bhatt Belwal, Virendra Negi 'Rahi', and cultural researcher Charu Tiwari.