Udaipur, March 13, 2025 - Young actress Nitanshi Goel won the Best Actress in Leading Role (Female) award at IIFA 2025, held in Jaipur. She received the award for her role as Phool Kumari in the critically acclaimed movie Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao. The film was also nominated for Oscars but failed to make it to the short-list.  

At just 17 years old, Nitanshi made history by beating Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, and Deepika Padukone. The award was presented to her by actors Boman Irani and Bobby Deol.

"As I hold this award in my hands, I’m filled with nothing but gratitude, love, and a whirlwind of emotions. This moment is not just mine—it belongs to every single person who believed in me, supported me, cheered for me, or sent me love—this is for you. I started this journey as a young girl with big dreams, and today, I want to tell every dreamer out there: Believe in yourself and never stop chasing what sets your soul on fire. Magic happens when you refuse to give up." - Nitanshi Goel

Nitanshi hails from Noida, Uttar Pradesh. She started her career as a child model and later appeared in TV shows like Naagarjuna: Ek Yoddha, Ishqbaaz, and Peshwa Bajirao. She has also acted in Bollywood films like M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story and Indu Sarkar.

Apart from acting, Nitanshi is a trained Kathak dancer and singer. She is also a popular social media influencer with over 11 million followers on Instagram.