Telangana Announces Gaddar Film Awards 2025 Winners
The Telangana government has announced the winners of the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards 2025, honouring outstanding achievements in Telugu cinema across acting, filmmaking and technical categories. The awards recognise films that received certification during the 2025 calendar year and celebrate contributions from artists and technicians who shaped the industry over the past year.
Among the major winners this year, Naga Chaitanya received the Best Actor award for his performance in the film Thandel, while Rashmika Mandanna was named Best Actress for her role in The Girlfriend. Both performances were widely appreciated by audiences and critics, with the jury recognising their impact and popularity.
In the film categories, Raju Weds Rambai secured the Best Film award, highlighting its success among the year’s releases. The jury also recognised Dandora as the Second Best Film, while The Pre-Wedding Show was chosen as the Third Best Film. These awards underline the diversity of storytelling in Telugu cinema, with films spanning drama, social themes and entertainment.
Several other films were honoured for their unique contributions. Thandel additionally received the award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, while Egwa was recognised as the Best Environmental Film. Meanwhile, Little Hearts won the award for Best Debut Feature Film, signalling the arrival of fresh filmmaking talent in the industry.
Apart from competitive categories, the awards also included several prestigious honours celebrating lifetime contributions and excellence in Indian cinema. Veteran actor Chiranjeevi has been selected for the NTR National Film Award, recognising his immense influence on Telugu cinema over decades.
Other special honours include the Paidi Jairaj Film Award for legendary actor Kamal Haasan, the B. N. Reddy Award for renowned filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, and the Nagi Reddy–Chakrapani Award for veteran producer C. Ashwini Dutt. Actress Jayasudha, lyricist Suddala Ashok Teja, and filmmaker R. Narayana Murthy were also recognised with special awards for their contributions to cinema and the arts.
The awards have been instituted by the Telangana government and are named after the late revolutionary poet and cultural icon Gaddar, reflecting the state’s effort to celebrate creativity and cultural expression through cinema. The initiative also marks a new chapter in recognising talent within the Telugu film industry following the discontinuation of the earlier Nandi Awards after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
According to officials, the award ceremony will be held on March 19, coinciding with the Ugadi festival, where winners will be formally honoured in the presence of leading personalities from the film industry.
With a mix of emerging talent and legendary figures among the recipients, the Gaddar Film Awards 2025 aim to highlight the evolving landscape of Telugu cinema while paying tribute to artists who continue to shape its future.
