For years, the Nandi awards that were given in the combined Andhra Pradesh have been stalled. To be specific, Nandi awards were last given in 2017.
Suddenly, the CMs of both states realized the need for presenting awards to film fraternity, in the same year. The platforms will be different, but the movies and the actors in the race will be more or less same.
The Telangana government will be giving Gaddar awards on Ugadi, 2026. The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to revive the Nandi awards. But the ground work needs to be done. Right from choosing a jury to finalizing a venue, the government has a big job. Still, the awards will be presented in 2026.
However, in hush hush tones, the film fraternity is finding it uncomfortable to receive awards from two platforms. Already, there is talk among Telugu citizens that Gaddar and Nandi awards will be based on political affiliations and caste equations. So is it necessary to repeat the entire process twice?
For example, the Gaddar award for best actor will be given to Naga Chaitanya who is the son of Nagarjuna, a kamma by caste and owner of Annapurna Studios.
On the other hand, the NTR award will be given to Chiranjeevi, a kapu.
With these permutations and combinations, the awards will reflect caste preferences rather than acting skills, feel Telugu citizens. Many are questioning the need for Nandi awards when the Telangana government is already giving Gaddar awards. Also, the industry is based in Telangana and that justifies Gaddar awards. Can’t the viewers be spared of caste wars and political mud-slinging that follows?
