Hyderabad: The Telangana government today announced the winners of the prestigious Gaddar Telangana Film Awards for the nine-year period spanning 2014 to 2023. The announcement comes following the declaration of the 2024 awards, marking a renewed focus on recognizing excellence in the state’s film industry.
Table of Contents
Gaddar Telangana Film Awards: A New Beginning After Nandi Awards Discontinuation
Jury Chairman Muralimohan explained that the Nandi Awards have been discontinued since the bifurcation of the state, leading to a decade without significant recognition for Telugu cinema. He added that previous governments had not prioritized film awards, prompting Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to introduce the Gaddar Awards in Telangana as a tribute to the revolutionary poet and folk singer Gaddar.
Muralimohan also suggested that both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments coordinate their awards schedules to avoid conflicts, proposing alternating years for awarding Telugu films between the two states.
Also Read: Miss World 2025: Public Rush for Finale Passes, 7000 Registrations and Counting
Winners of Gaddar Telangana Film Awards (2014–2023)
The announced list covers the best films of each year from 2014 to 2023, recognizing outstanding cinematic achievements:
- 2014: Run Raja Run (Best First Film), Shola (Second Best Film), Alludu Seenu (Third Best Film)
- 2015: Rudramadevi (Best Film), Kanche (Second Best Film), Srimanthudu (Third Best Film)
- 2016: Shatamanam Bhavati (Best Film), Pellichoopulu (Second Best Film), Janatha Garage (Third Best Film)
- 2017: Bahubali (Best Film), Fidaa (Second Best Film), Ghazi (Third Best Film)
- 2018: Mahanati (Best Film), Rangasthalam (Second Best Film), C/O Kancherapalem (Third Best Film)
- 2019: Maharshi (Best Film), Jersey (Second Best Film), Mallesham (Third Best Film)
- 2020: Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (Best Film), Color Photo (Second Best Film), Middle Class Melodies (Third Best Film)
- 2021: RRR (Best Film), Abhayanandana (Second Best Film), Uppena (Third Best Film)
- 2022: Seetharamam (Best Film), Karthikeya-2 (Second Best Film), Major (Third Best Film)
- 2023: Balagam (Best Film), Hanuman (Second Best Film), Bhagwant Kesari (Third Best Film)
Special Awards Honoring Film Industry Icons
The government also announced special awards named after legendary personalities who have contributed significantly to the film world:
- Prajakavi Kaloji Special Jury Award
- NTR National Film Award – Nandamuri Balakrishna
- Kantha Rao Award – Vijay Deverakonda
- Paidi Jayaraj Award – Mani Ratnam
- Nagi Reddy and Chakrapani Film Award – Atluri Poornachandra Rao
- BN Reddy Film Award – Sukumar
- Raghupathi Venkaiah Film Award – Yandamuri Veerendranath
A Step Forward for Telugu Cinema
The announcement of the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards marks a significant effort to reinvigorate the recognition of cinematic excellence in the region. It also reflects the state government’s commitment to celebrating artistic and creative achievements in the film industry while fostering a spirit of healthy competition and cultural pride.
The government expressed hope that these awards would inspire filmmakers, actors, and technicians to continue delivering quality content, further enriching the Telugu film landscape.