Film Industry Set for Fresh Push from April: Kandula Durgesh

Reaffirming the coalition government’s commitment to the comprehensive development of the Telugu film industry in Andhra Pradesh , Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh on Tuesday announced that a dedicated action plan would be rolled out from April . The initiative aims to strengthen film infrastructure, encourage young talent, and revive prestigious awards and film festivals.

The Minister was speaking after felicitating directors and artists who emerged winners at the Andhra Pradesh Short Film Festival–2026, organised by Maa–AP, at his chamber in Block-2 of the Velagapudi Secretariat . He presented mementos to the award recipients and lauded young filmmakers, technicians and artistes for producing short films with strong social relevance.

Highlighting efforts to promote cinema in the State, Kandula Durgesh appreciated the role played by Maa–AP founder and film director Dilip Raja in successfully organising the festival at Tenali on January 11 . He said that discussions were underway with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan , and that an official announcement on the revival of the Nandi Awards and Nandi Theatre Festivals would be made shortly.

Stating that the government envisions Amaravati as a key hub for the film industry, comparable to Hyderabad , the Minister said focused efforts would be made from April towards framing a film policy, setting up studios, training centres and organising film festivals. He assured full support and encouragement to young directors, actors and technical professionals.

The Andhra Pradesh Short Film Festival attracted 203 entries from across the State, with nearly 2,000 artistes participating. Mahavriksham , directed by Chandrasekhar Shakunala of Visakhapatnam , won the first prize, followed by Simhadri Appanna by Srinivasa Rao of Srikakulam , and Abaddam vs Nijam by Naveen Kumar of Palakollu , which secured the second and third prizes respectively. Each of the top three winners received a cash award of ₹1 lakh.

Speaking on the occasion, Dilip Raja said that sustained government support would enable the youth of Andhra Pradesh to excel in the film industry. He observed that the festival had instilled fresh enthusiasm among young artistes and strengthened their confidence to aim higher with continued encouragement.