Chennai, Aug. 2024
The 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 with Kamar Film Factory celebrated the finest talents in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam cinema industry amid much fanfare at JRC Convention, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, on August 3, 2024. Filmfare is committed to recognizing the exceptional talent across the South Indian film industry. With the 69th edition of Filmfare Awards for South Indian Cinema, Filmfare brought the stalwarts from all four film industries under one roof for an exciting and an unforgettable awards night. The atmosphere was electric, and the crowd cheered in sheer joy as Nani and Vikram won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) Awards in the Telugu and Tamil categories, for their phenomenal performances in Dasara and Ponniyin Selvan- Part 2, respectively. Similarly, Rakshit Shetty bagged the award of Best Actor in a Leading role (Male) in the Kannada category for his role in the critically acclaimed film Sapta Sagaradaache Ello. Thanks to an exceptional performance in Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, Mammootty received the Best Actor in a Leading role (Male) award in the Malayalam category, marking his 15th Filmfare award as he revealed in his acceptance speech. The crowd applauded thunderously at the heartfelt moment when Shweta Mohan accepted her first Filmfare award for the Best Playback Singer (Female) – Telugu from her mother Sujata Mohan on stage, welcoming the 5th black lady in their house!
This year’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was won by Srinath, aka Pranay Raja (King of Romance). He has dedicated 57 years of his life to South Indian Cinema with more than 300 films. Due to his spectacular success in romantic movies during the 70s, he earned the title of ‘Pranay Raja’ a title that remains with him to this day. He has captivated audiences with his versatile acting and commanding presence, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. In addition to this, At the prestigious awards, the South film industry also paid tribute to the late Ramoji Rao, whose vision not only shaped the landscape of Indian cinema but has also provided a platform for countless filmmakers, actors, and technicians to bring their dreams to life.
Keeping the evening filled with synergy, Raashii Khanna, Aparna Balamurali, Saniya Iyappan and Gayatri Bhardwaj showcased their power-packed dance performances.
For Telugu cinema, notably, Balagam won the award for the Best Film. For his mind-blowing performance in Ranga Marthanda, Prakash Raj emerged as the winner under the Best Actor (Male) Critics category. And the award for Best Actor (Female) Critics Telugu category went to Vaishnavi Chaitanya for her outstanding performance in Baby. Furthermore, director Venu Yeldandi received the Best Director Award for Balagam.
In Tamil Cinema, Chithha won the awards for the Best Film, Director S U Arun Kumar as the Best Director( Chithha) and Actor Siddharth Suryanarayan for Best Actor (Male) Critics, Chithha. Siddharth Suryanarayan marked an important milestone in his career as he won the black lady after 18 years. On the request of his fans, he sang the song ‘Unakku Thaan’ from his movie and the audience roared and cheered. Aishwarya Rajesh and Aparna Das were honoured with the Best Actor (Female) Critics category for their brilliant performances in Farhana and Dada, respectively.
Honouring Malayalam cinema, Jyotika was recognised as the Best Actor (Female) Critics for her stellar performance in Kaathal The Core, while Joju George’s excellent performance in the film Iratta won him the Best Actor (Male) Critics Award. The winner of the Best Film Award in Malayalam was none other than 2018. And finally, the Best Director Award was bagged by Jude Anthany Joseph for the Malayalam film 2018.
As for Kannada cinema, Hemanth M Rao was awarded the Best Director for his film Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, while Daredevil Musthafa was named the Best Film. Remarkably, Rukmini Vasanth bagged the Best Actor (Female) Critics Award for her role in Sapte Sagaradaache Ello. Lastly, Poornachandra Mysore was crowned Best Actor (Male) Kannada for his mind-blowing performance in the blockbuster movie Orchrestra Mysuru.
The awards night was in an incredible display of fashion, the red carpet was transformed into a runway, with industry bigwigs showcasing their unique style in show-stopping ensembles. The red carpet was graced by Nani, Jyotika, Mammootty, Aishwarya Rajesh, Priyamani, Siddharth, Faria Abdullah, Rakshit Shetty, Venkataraman, Naveen Polishetty, Brahamanandam, Prakash Raj, Vikram, Ali, Keerthy Suresh, Venu Yeldandi, Allu Arvind and Allu Sirish to name a few notable personalities.
Reflecting on the success of the event, Mr. Rohit Gopakumar, Director of Worldwide Media and CEO of ZENL BCCL TV & Digital Network, expressed, “The 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 is yet another milestone in the legacy of Filmfare. With each passing year, in its recognition of South Indian cinema, the Times Group aims to elevate the experience of its prestigious Award Nights for the audience. We strive to maintain a high degree of credibility to recognize the best talent in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam Cinema. We are beyond honoured to have the support of our audiences, partners, and the entire film fraternity, whose love and dedication have made this celebration possible.”
Mr. Jitesh Pillaai, Editor-in-Chief, Filmfare, added, “The 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 has been a phenomenal celebration of the exceptional talent from South Indian Cinema. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our jury members for their diligent efforts in selecting the winners, and my heartiest congratulations to all the artists whose remarkable contributions continue to enrich the art of filmmaking. I am truly elated for the overwhelming love of our audience, who made this celebration possible / making this night an unforgettable celebration of cinematic brilliance.”
Jagadish Nangineni, Managing Director of SOBHA Limited, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are absolutely ecstatic to be a part of the 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024. This event is indeed a celebration of the exceptional talent and ingenuity of the South Indian Film industry. The awards truly appreciate the efforts in raising the bar of quality filmmaking with each passing year. Our partnership reflects our commitment to honouring cinematic excellence as artistry and craftsmanship are core to our DNA. By recognising these remarkable artists, we hope to inspire future generations of filmmakers and storytellers. This collaboration also signifies our dedication to the transformative power of cinema, and we eagerly anticipate continuing this journey of excellence and delighting audiences across India and overseas.”
Kamar D, Kamar Film Factory, remarked, “We are proud to partner with the 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 and celebrate the extraordinary creativity and talent in the South Indian Film Industry. This association underscores our dedication to promoting artistic brilliance and innovation. Together, we look forward to inspiring and uplifting the artistic community for years to come.”
The Filmfare Awards South 2024 was presented by SOBHA Limited as the Title Partner, Kamar Film Factory as the Special Partner, Co-powered by – Prega News – India’s No. 1 Pregnancy Detection Kit, Campa – The Great Indian Taste and Kajaria- India’s no. 1 tile company; In association with Edelweiss Life Insurance, Greenply, Yamaha Fascino 125 Fi, NIC – Honestly Crafted Ice Creams and Mysore Sandal – A Timeless Essence of Tradition and Luxury; Godrej Home Lockers – The Safe of India as Security Partner; Rhythm Natural Mineral water as Hydration Partner; Aditya Music as Music Partner; Mirchi & Gaana as Happiness Partner’s; Disney Star South Movie Channels as Broadcast Partner; Khushi Advertising as Ambient Media Partner; Venue Partner – JRC Conventions & Trade Fairs; Talisman Awards as Trophy Partner; Hospitality Partner – Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre; Partners – Sanjay Gowda, Proprietor, SG Productions and Shrihari Raju. The event was Managed by Straightline Solutions, with Technical Direction & Stage Management by On Cue Productions; all the Acts Choreographed by Satish Krishnan and the Script Written by Turkey Productions.