Hyderabad: Popular Tollywood actor Nandamuri Balakrishna has been awarded the NTR National Film Award and noted filmmaker Mani Ratnam with the Paidi Jairaj Film Award by the Telangana government for his contribution to the film industry.
The state government on Friday announced special awards as part of the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards (GTFA).
Veteran actor Murali Mohan, along with Telangana State Film Vikas Nigam (TSFDC) President Dil Raju, announced special awards.
Balakrishna will receive the award established in the name of his father, famous actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Ram Rao, who was popularly known as NTR.
Popular in the film Circle, Balakrishna started her acting career as a child artist at the age of 14 and in a career in four decades, acted in more than 100 films.
Jury selected Maniratnam for the Pedi Zairej Film Award for the Indian film personality.
Famous director Sukumar will get the BN Reddy Film Award for Telugu film director. Nagiridi and Chakrapani Film Award for Telugu producer will be presented to Ataluri Poorna Chandra Rao.
Actor Vijay Devarakonda has been selected for the Telugu artist for the Kantha Rao Film Award, while the screenwriter Jendamuri Wearendranath will receive the Raghupati Venkiah Film Award (in addition to the film artist, Telugu).
Jury also announced the Best Film Awards from 2014 to 2023. A day after announcing the GTFA Awards for 2024 in 11 different categories, the jury announced the best films for the last 10 years.
The best films were selected from the films produced between 2 June 2014 (formation of Telangana State) and 31 December 2023. Three best films were chosen for each year.
‘Run Raja Run’ was made the best film for 2014, while ‘Rudramadevi’ was selected for 2015. ‘Shatamanambhavati’ was declared the best film for 2016. Jury chose the ‘Bahubali conclusion’ for 2017 as the best film.
‘Mahanati’ received the Best Film Award for 2018, while ‘Maharishi’ emerged as the top film for 2019.
Other films selected for the category are ‘Ala Vaichintpuramulo’ (2020), ‘RRR’ (2021), ‘Sitaramam’ (2022) and ‘Balgam’ (2023).
Telangana has revived the Nandi Awards for excellence in Telugu cinema and changed his name after revolutionary poet and batter traitor, who died in 2023. The awards have been revived after the 14 -year gap.
Veteran actress Jayasudha, who led the jury, announced the awards for 2024 on Thursday.
All the awards will be presented on 14 June.
