Telangana Film Awards: Allu Arjun and 'Kalki 2898 AD' Shine Bright!

The Gaddar Telangana Film Awards have recognized outstanding achievements in Telugu cinema, with Allu Arjun winning Best Leading Actor for 'Pushpa-2' and 'Kalki 2898 AD' taking home the Best Feature Film award. This event marks a significant revival of state-level film awards in Telangana, celebrating the artistic contributions of filmmakers and artists. The awards ceremony is set for June 14, following a thorough evaluation of over 1,200 nominations across various categories. Join us as we delve into the highlights and winners of this prestigious event!

By Narendra Chaudhary May 29, 2025, 13:49 IST

Celebrating Telugu Cinema

Hyderabad: The Gaddar Telangana Film Awards have recognized the best in Telugu cinema, with Kalki 2898 AD winning the award for Best Feature Film. Allu Arjun received the Best Leading Actor award for his role in Pushpa-2, as announced by the Telangana government on Thursday.

The awards were revealed by veteran actress Jayasudha, who led a 15-member jury alongside Dil Raju, the Chairman of the Telangana Film Development Corporation (TGFDC).

Nivetha Thomas was honored as the Best Leading Actress for her performance in 35-Chinna Katha Kadu.

S.J. Surya took home the Best Supporting Actor award for Saripoda Sanivaram, while Saranya Pradeep was recognized as the Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ambajipeta Marrige Band.

Nag Ashwin Singi Reddy was awarded Best Director for Kalki 2898 AD, and Bheems Ceciroleo was named Best Music Director for Razakar.

Sid Sriram won the Best Male Playback Singer award for the song ‘Nizame Ne Chebutunna’ from Ooru Peru Bhairavakona, while Shreya Ghoshal was awarded Best Female Playback Singer for her song in Pushpa 2.

The Best Comedian award went to Satya and Vennela Kishore for their work in Mattu Vadalara-2.

Venky Atluri was recognized as the Best Screenplay Writer for Lucky Bhaskar, and Siva Paladugu received the Best Story Writer award for Music shop Murthy.

Chandra Bose was awarded Best Lyricist for ‘Raju Yadav’, while Vishawanath Reddy was recognized as the Best Cinematographer for Gaami.

Dulquer Salmaan received a Special Jury Award for Lucky Bhasker, with additional awards given to Ananya Nagalla for Pottel, Sujith and Sandeep for KA, Prashanth Reddy and Rajesh Kallepally for Raju Yadav, and Faria Abdullah for her rap song in Mattu Vadalara-2.

Pottel and Lucky Bhasker were recognized as the second and third best feature films, respectively.

Committee Kurrollu was awarded as the best feature film focusing on national integration and social upliftment, while 35 Chinna Katha Kadu was named the best children's film and Razakar was recognized as the best historical feature film.

Yedu Vamsee was honored as the Best Debut Feature Film Director for Committee Kurrollu, and Aay…Mem friends andi was selected as the best wholesome entertainment film.

The Gaddar Telangana Film Awards aim to celebrate the artistic achievements of Telugu filmmakers and artists.

This marks the first official state-level film awards since Telangana's formation, ending a long hiatus since the last Nandi Awards were held in the former united Andhra Pradesh in 2011.

Jayasudha noted that the jury evaluated 1,248 nominations across 11 categories, with the awards ceremony scheduled for June 14.

Last year, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced the revival of the Nandi awards, now renamed in honor of the late revolutionary poet and balladeer Gaddar, who passed away in 2023. This revival comes after a 14-year gap.

The government emphasizes that these awards reflect its commitment to recognizing and promoting cinematic excellence while celebrating Telangana's rich cultural identity and supporting the creative community.