Ekta Kapoor Completes a Hat-Trick of Honors with Padma Shri, Emmy, and now a National Award

For more than three decades, Ekta Kapoor has shaped the way India watches stories. She began with television, where her shows didn’t just dominate primetime but became part of everyday vocabulary. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, and later the cult franchise Naagin turned her into a household name long before streaming or social media amplified reach.

In 2020, her contribution was recognised with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours. Three years later, she broke new ground globally, becoming the first Indian woman producer to win an International Emmy Directorate Award in 2023. Each recognition marked not just a personal achievement, but a moment of pride for an industry she helped build.

Today, she adds another milestone: her first National Film Award for Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery, shared with co-producer Guneet Monga and Netflix. The film’s win in the Best Hindi Film category is special not just because it cements her presence in cinema, but also because it reflects her instinct for supporting fresh voices and stories that cut across genres.

True to form, Ekta shows no signs of slowing down. She is reuniting Akshay Kumar with director Priyadarshan in Bhooth Bangla, backing her first collaboration with TVF in VVAN starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia, and continuing to revisit classics like Kyunki.