Popular Telugu actor Allu Arjun was honored with the Best Actor award for his role in the blockbuster film Pushpa: The Rise at the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards 2024, held on Saturday at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.
The award was presented by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, drawing loud applause from a star-studded audience packed with leading figures from the Telugu film industry.
Revanth Reddy also presented the Best Actress award to Niveda Thomas for her performance in 35: Chinna Katha Kaadu, and the Best Director award to Nag Ashwin for his ambitious pan-India film Kalki 2898 AD.
A Historic First for Telangana
This marked the first-ever state-sponsored film awards ceremony for Telugu cinema since the formation of Telangana in 2014. Revived this year by the Revanth Reddy-led government, the awards are named in memory of revolutionary balladeer Gaddar, who passed away in August 2023.
Notable attendees included Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vijay Deverakonda, Sukumar, S. S. Rajamouli, Mani Ratnam, Suhasini, and many other film industry veterans and stars.
Joining the chief minister in presenting awards were Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. Awardees received a cash prize of ₹5 lakh along with a citation.
Major Awards and Jury Recognition
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Best Feature Film: Kalki 2898 AD
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Second Best Feature Film: Pottel
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Third Best Feature Film: Lucky Baskar
The chief minister also felicitated the jury, which was headed by veteran actress Jayasudha, for selecting the best films of 2024.
In a broader effort to recognize cinematic excellence over the last decade, the awards committee also evaluated films released between 2014 and 2023, categorizing them into three groups to reflect artistic and cultural contributions made since Telangana’s formation. This special jury was chaired by veteran actor and former MP Maganti Murali Mohan.
