After a gap of 14 years, Telangana has launched its own official film awards, named after the revolutionary balladeer Gaddar
Hyderabad: "The Telangana government decided to institute the Nandi Awards back in 1964, a tradition that continued in the undivided state. Now, ten years after the formation of Telangana, we are proud to present film awards in the name of Gaddar. When we talk about Indian cinema, Telugu cinema stands tall and Hyderabad has become its main stage,” said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, speaking at the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards.
After a gap of 14 years, Telangana has launched its own official film awards, named after the revolutionary balladeer Gaddar. The Gaddar Telangana Film Awards (GTFA) made a grand debut on Saturday at HITEX, celebrating cinematic excellence and recognising talent in Telugu cinema. The event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister for Cinematography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and producer Dil Raju, chairman of the Telangana Film Development Corporation (TGFDC).
Revanth Reddy said, “Just as we promote the IT industry, we will promote the film industry too. The Vision 2047 document will include a dedicated chapter for its development, and we aim to grow Telangana’s economy to $3 trillion by then.” Jury chairperson Jayasudha, along with panel members including Dil Raju, selected winners from over 1,100 nominations across 35 categories, spanning from feature films to books on cinema. At the event, several well-known personalities were honoured for their contributions to the industry.
The NTR National Film Award was presented to actor Nandamuri Balakrishna. The Paidi Jairaj Award for Indian Film Personality was given to director Mani Ratnam, and the B. N. Reddy Award went to director Sukumar. In the competitive categories, Kalki 2898 AD was named Best Film, followed by Pottel in second place and Lucky Bhasker in third. Committee Kurrollu received the award for promoting national unity and social upliftment, while 35 Chinna Katha Kadu won Best Children’s Film. Razakar was recognised for its focus on history and heritage.
Nag Ashwin won Best Director for Kalki 2898 AD. Allu Arjun was named Best Actor for Pushpa 2, and Nivetha Thomas won Best Actress for 35 Chinna Katha Kadu. S. J. Surya and Saranya Pradeep won Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Saripoda Sanivaram and Ambajipeta Marriage Band respectively. Bheems Ceciroleo won Best Music Director for Razakar.
Sid Sriram was awarded Best Male Playback Singer for “Nizame Ne Chebutunna” from Ooru Peru Bhairavakona, and Shreya Ghoshal won Best Female Playback Singer for “Suseti Aggi Ravva” from Pushpa 2.
The evening was graced by several film celebrities, with cultural performances and dance shows adding to the festive atmosphere. Jury members were also felicitated for their contributions. As the first edition of the awards concluded, it was clear that the event went beyond just celebrating achievements — it marked Telangana’s resolve to champion its film industry and tell its own stories.
