The Government of Telangana announced the winners of the 2025 Gaddar Film Awards in Hyderabad, recognizing outstanding achievements in Telugu and Indian cinema across various categories.
The prestigious awards celebrated actors, filmmakers, technicians, and contributors who made a significant impact on the industry during the year.
Actor Naga Chaitanya won the Best Actor award for his performance in Thandel, while actress Rashmika Mandanna received the Best Actress award for her role in The Girlfriend. Both performances were widely appreciated by audiences and critics, making them standout winners in this year's awards.
The Best Film honour went to Raju Weds Rambai, which also earned recognition for its direction. The film's director Sailu was awarded Best Director for his impressive debut. Meanwhile, Dhandoraa secured the Second Best Film award and The Pre-Wedding Show won the Third Best Film award.
Among the acting categories, Shivaji received the Best Supporting Actor award, while Bhumika Chawla won Best Supporting Actress. Music composer Mark K Robin won Best Music Director for his work in Dhandoraa. In playback singing, Anurag won Best Male Playback Singer for Raju Weds Rambai, while Sahithi Chaganti received Best Female Playback Singer for her song in Kannappa.
Several films were also recognized in special categories. Thandel won the National Integrity Film award, while Igwa received Best Environmental Film. Little Hearts was named Best Debut Feature Film, Sankranthiki Vasthunnam won Best Entertainment Film, Court was honoured as Best Social Message Film, Mirai received Best Special Effects Film, and Anaganagana was named Best Children's Film.
The technical categories honoured several prominent technicians. Karthik Ghattamaneni won Best Cinematographer for Mirai, while renowned editor Sreekar Prasad received Best Editor for the same film. Legendary art director Thota Tharani won Best Art Director for Champion.
The awards ceremony also featured several prestigious lifetime and special honours. Megastar Chiranjeevi received the NTR National Film Award, while legendary actor Kamal Haasan was honoured with the Paidi Jairaj Film Award. Veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao received the B. N. Reddy Film Award for his remarkable contribution to cinema.
Other notable special award recipients included producer Ashwini Dutt, actor R. Narayana Murthy, film personality Ramesh Prasad, lyricist Suddala Ashok Teja, and veteran actress Jayasudha.
With a wide range of categories recognizing performances, technical excellence, and lifetime achievements, the 2026 Gaddar Film Awards celebrated the diversity and talent of Indian cinema.
