Kutami Gets Nandi Awards Back On Track

The wait for the prestigious Nandi Awards is finally coming to an end. The Kutami ( NDA ) government has now approved a plan to conduct the long-pending Film and TV Awards covering the years 2012 to 2025.

This is not a decision that came overnight. The Naidu-led coalition government has been talking about reviving the Nandi Awards since the time they formed the government.

In Feb 2025, Naidu asked officials to work on the distribution of Nandi Awards as part of the state’s wider cultural and tourism plans that got discontinued after the state division. However, Telangana this year too have reviewed their version of nandi awards that was called as Gaddar Awards which became a huge success and now it is Andhra’s moment to shower.

Cinematography Minister Durgesh then repeatedly spoke about bringing the awards back. In April 2025, he announced that the government would restart both the Nandi Awards and Nandi Natakotsavam. By August, Durgesh said that Naidu had decided to revive the awards, with DCM Pawan Kalyan’s inputs also being considered.

The issue received another push in March 2026 when Megastar Chiranjeevi publicly appealed to Naidu to bring back the Nandi Awards.

Now, the plan has moved from announcements to execution.

And now the green signal for the awards has been given, making Andhra Pradesh a stronger destination for film production and developing infrastructure such as studios, dubbing and recording facilities.

Awards for 2012–2016 are scheduled to be presented in Vijayawada in November 2026. Awards covering 2017–2025 are also expected to be announced in November, with ceremonies planned for December. Film awards will be held around Amaravati/Vijayawada, while TV awards are proposed in Tirupati.

After years of being on hold, the Nandi Awards are finally getting a calendar again. For the Kutami government is also part of a larger push to bring cinema, television, theatre and the creative industries back into Andhra Pradesh’s cultural ecosystem.