Telangana Film Development Corporation (TFDC) chairman and producer Dil Raju has announced that the Gaddar Awards will be hosted in April in Hyderabad. The awards, a key initiative of the Telangana government, aim to recognise excellence in cinema and celebrate the Telangana region’s cultural contributions.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Raju stated that the award categories will largely mirror those of the former Nandi Awards, with the addition of a section to honour the “Best Urdu Film of the Year.” He also confirmed that films produced from 2014, when Telangana was formed, until 2023 will be eligible for retrospective “Best film of the year” recognition. The award guidelines have been finalised, and honorary awards will be presented in the names of veteran artists Paidi Jayaraj and Kanta Rao.

The announcement follows months of planning. The Telangana Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, had previously discussed the awards with Telugu film industry members after the Sandhya Theatre tragedy during the Pushpa 2 premiere. The government has outlined a vision to develop Hyderabad as an international hub for culture and cinema, promoting Telangana’s film industry.

The Gaddar Awards are named after the late poet and singer Gummadi Vittal Rao, also known as Gaddar, who passed away in 2023. Renowned for his revolutionary songs that inspired the Telangana statehood movement, Gaddar is remembered for advocating for the rights of the poor and oppressed.