Gaddar Awards announced; Kalki 2898 AD and Lucky Baskhar walk away with most wins

Gaddar Telangana Film Awards for the year 2024 were announced in Hyderabad on Thursday. Telangana Film Development Corporation (TFDC) chairman Dil Raju and renowned actor Jayasudha presided over the ceremony, with the latter announcing the list of winners. Jayasudhar was also the chairman of jury for the awards.

Films like Kalki 2898 AD, Committee Korrullu and Lucky Baskhar emerged as the leading winners this year. Kalki 2898 AD bagged the awards for Best Feature Film, Best Director (Nag Ashwin), Best Costume Design (Archana Rao and Ajay Kumar), and Best Art director (Nithin Zihani Chaudhary). 

Lucky Baskhar too won 4 awards — Third Best Feature Film Best Screenplay (Venky Atluri), Best Editor (Navin Nooli), and Special Jury Award for Dulquer Salmaan, who played the titular protagonist. Meanwhile, Committee Korrullu won the awards for ‘Best Feature Film on National Integration, Communal Harmony, Social uplift of Depressed Classes’ and Best Debut Feature Film. 

In the acting awards category, Allu Arjun and Nivetha Thomas won the ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Actress’ for Pushpa 2: The Rule and 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu. 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu also bagged awards for Best Children’s Film and Best Child Artist (Arundev Pothula). Arundev shared his award with Baby Harika, who won for Mercy Killing.

Additionally, the award for Best Book on Telugu Cinema was awarded to noted film historian Rentala Jayadeva for his book ‘Mana Cinema First Reel.’

Addressing the media, Jayasudha said, “It’s a great relief to be finally able to organise these awards after 14 years. The government gave us complete freedom in the selection of these award recipients. Even within the jury, there were no arguments and we unanimously arrived at the list of winners.” The veteran actor also expressed her joy to see many first-time filmmakers in the list of award winners. She added, “Congratulations to all of them. It’s great to see so many debutant filmmakers making such good films on their first attempt.”

Dil Raju said on the occasion, “I am very happy to announce that Gaddar awards are being organised after a long wait of 14 years.” Dil Raju also announced that the award recipients for the years 2014 to 2023 would be announced within a day or two, by jury members who were appointed for those years’ selection. The committee also announced that the award ceremony for Gaddar Awards 2024 will be held on June 14. 

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.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Feature Film - Kalki 2898 AD

Second Best Feature Film - Pottel

Third Best Feature Film - Lucky Bhaskar

Best Director - Nag Ashwin (Kalki 2898 AD)

Best Leading Actor - Allu Arjun (Pushpa 2: The Rule)

Best Leading Actress - Nivetha Thomas (35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu)

Best Supporting Actress - Saranya Pradeep (Ambajipeta Marriage Band)

Best Supporting Actor - SJ Suryah (Saripodhaa Sanivaaram)

Best Music Director - Bheems Ceciroleo (Razakar)

Best Male Playback Singer - Sid Sriram (‘Nizame Ne’ - Ooru Peru Bhairavakona)

Best Female Playback Singer - Shreya Ghoshal (‘Sooseki’ - Pushpa 2: The Rule)

Best Comedian - Satya and Vennela Kishore (Mathu Vadalara 2)

Best Child Artist - Arundev Pothula (35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu)

WRITING AWARDS:

Best Story - Siva Paladugu (Music Shop Murthy)

Best Screenplay - Venky Atluri (Lucky Baskhar)

Best Lyrics: Chandrabose (Raju Yadav)

TECHNICAL AWARDS:

Best Cinematographer - Vishwanath Reddy (Gaami)

Best Editor - Navin Nooli (Lucky Baskhar)

Best Audiographer - Aravind Menon (Gaami)

Best Choreographer - Ganesh Acharya (‘Ayudha Puja’ - Devara)

Best Art Director - Nithin Zihani Choudhary (Kalki 2898 AD)

Best Action - Chandrasekhar Rathod (Gangster)

Best Makeup Artisst - Nalla Sreenu (Razakar)

Best Costume Design - Archana Rao and Ajay Kumar (Kalki 2898 AD) 

SPECIAL AWARDS:

Special Jury Award 1: Dulquer Salmaan (Lucky Baskhar)

Special Jury Award 2: Ananya Nagalla (Pottel)

Special Jury Award 3: Sujith and Sandeep (KA)

Special Jury Award 4: Prashanth Reddy and Rajesh Kallepally (Raju Yadav)

Jury Special Mention: Faria Abdullah (Rap song in Mathu Vadalara 2)

Best Wholesome Entertainment Film - AAY

Best Feature Film on National Integration, Communal Harmony, Social Uplift of Depressed Classes - Committee Kurrollu

Best Children’s Film - 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadu

Best Feature Film on Environment/Heritage/History - Razakar

Best Debut Feature Film - Committee Kurrollu