Telangana Gaddar Film Awards on March 19 on Ugadi 2026 Eve

The Telangana Gaddar Film Awards for films certified between January 1 and December 31, 2025 will be presented on March 19, coinciding with the Ugadi festival. The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Secretariat, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with members of the awards jury committee.

Officials said the scrutiny and screening of applications received for the awards will begin on February 6.

The Telangana government had earlier issued formal orders to institute the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards, marking a renewed state-level recognition for cinema. Following this, the Telangana Film Development Corporation Limited released a detailed notification last month, inviting entries from film producers and government agencies across the world.

Submissions were sought for Telugu films across a wide range of categories, including feature films promoting national integration, environment, heritage and history, debut feature films, and wholesome entertainment. The awards also cover films with strong social messages, animation and visual effects films, children’s cinema, as well as individual honours for artists and technicians.

In addition, entries were invited for documentary films, short films, books, critical writings and articles on Telugu cinema, along with feature films produced in Urdu.

The last date for submitting completed application forms along with the required documentation concluded two days ago.

Launched by the Telangana government in 2025, the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards were introduced to honour excellence in Telugu cinema, replacing the Nandi Awards that were earlier presented during the united Andhra Pradesh era.