Hyderabad, March 10 Actor Naga Chaitanya, who has won the Telangana government's Gaddar Film award for Best Actor for 2025, has now expressed gratitude to the Telangana government, saying he was truly honored by the recognition.
In a post on his X timeline, Naga Chaitanya wrote, "I am truly honored to have won the Best Actor award at the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards 2025 for my film #Thandel. I am also thrilled that #Thandel won the Best National Integration Film award. I would like to thank the Telangana Government, Hon'ble CM @revanthanumula garu, Deputy CM @BhattiMallu garu, and Cinematography Minister @KomatireddyKVR garu for this honor."
He further added, "I am grateful to my director @chandoomondeti and producers #AlluAravind sir, @TheBunnyVas for their vision and belief, @Sai_Pallavi92, @ThisIsDSP & my entire team for their love and support. This is a role that I will always cherish. My heartfelt congratulations to all the #GaddarAwards2025 winners."
It may be recalled that Naga Chaitanya's father, Nagarjuna, was the first to express his happiness and excitement when news broke that Naga Chaitanya had won the Best Actor Award.
Stating that he was proud of his son Naga Chaitanya being chosen for the award by the Telangana state government, Telugu star Nagarjuna had said that Naga Chaitanya's stellar performance in 'Thandel' deserved this recognition.
Nagarjuna took to his social media timelines to express his gratitude. He wrote, "My heartfelt congratulations to all the #2025GaddarAward winners! A big thank you to the Telangana Government @revanthanumula garu @Bhattimallu garu for instituting the ANR Award in honor of my father, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. This is truly a fitting tribute."
The actor also expressed delight that the ANR award this year had gone to veteran actress Jayapradha, who, Nagarjuna said, was a very deserving person.
He wrote, "I am delighted that the ANR Award is being awarded to Jayasudha!"
He further congratulated Mega star Chiranjeevi for having won the NTR Award and also expressed pride at his son Naga Chaitanya winning the award for Best Actor for his performance in Thandel.
Nagarjuna wrote, "Mega congrats to @kchirutweets garu on the NTR Award. And proud of my son @chay_akkineni for Best Actor; his stellar performance in #Thandel deserves this recognition! #TeluguCinema #GaddarAwards2025."
For those unaware, the film awards have been instituted by the Telangana state government in the name of revolutionary poet and balladeer Gaddar, who passed away in 2023. It may be recalled that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had announced last year that the Nandi Awards for excellence in Telugu cinema would be revived and renamed after Gaddar. The awards were revived after a gap of 14 years last year.