Jun 15, 2025 07:32 AM IST

Arjun received the award from Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy, amid loud applause from the audience comprising several celebrities from the Telugu film industry.

Revanth Reddy also presented the best actress award to Niveda Thomas for her role in the Telugu film: “35: Chinna Katha Kaadu” and best director award to Nag Aswin for his pan-India film “Kalki-2898 AD.”

This is the first time such an award ceremony for the Telugu film industry is being held since the formation of the separate Telangana state in 2014. The awards for Telugu films were revived by the Revanth Reddy government this year in memory of popular revolutionary balladeer Gaddar, who died in August 2023.

Prominent personalities from various segments of the Telugu film industry, including Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vijay Devarakonda, Sukumar, M Sukumar, S S Rajamouli, Maniratnam and Suhasini attended the glittering ceremony.

Apart from the chief minister, state deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and cinematography minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy also presented awards to the winners, including a cash prize of ₹5 lakh and a citation.

While Kalki-2898 was adjudged as the best feature film, “Pottel” was chosen as the second best feature film and “Lucky Baskar” won the third prize.

The chief minister also felicitated the members of the jury headed by veteran actress Jayasudha to select the best films of the year 2024.

In addition to films from 2024, the committee also evaluated and shortlisted the best films released between 2014 and 2023, the years following Telangana’s formation, categorizing them into three groups. Veteran actor and former MP Maganti Murali Mohan served as the chairman of this jury committee.