by MS Prasad 

Pavan Kalyan is not merely a popular face from the Telugu film industry; he is a cultural force who redefined stardom, fan engagement, and social messaging through cinema. Today, as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, he occupies a position where artistic credibility meets political authority. His voice carries weight—not only within the state administration led by Chief Minister Nara Chandra Babu Naidu, but also in New Delhi. This dual stature places on him a unique responsibility toward sectors that shaped his own journey, particularly cinema.

Yet, despite this influence, a conspicuous silence surrounds the Andhra Pradesh State Film Development Corporation (APSDFC) and the long-pending Nandi Film Awards. This silence raises legitimate questions that demand answers.

Film awards are not mere ceremonial events. They are institutional acknowledgements of creative labour, cultural contribution, and technical excellence. For an industry that has significantly contributed to Andhra Pradesh’s identity, economy, and global recognition, the prolonged neglect of its highest honours is difficult to justify.

The facts are stark. Nandi Awards announced for the years 2012 to 2016 remain unpresented to date. Even more concerning, awards from 2017 to 2024 have not been finalised or cleared at all. This has left an entire generation of filmmakers, technicians, artists, and producers without recognition, dampening morale and eroding trust in institutional processes.

In contrast, Telangana has demonstrated that political will can resolve even decade-long backlogs. Under the leadership of Dil Raju, Chairman of the Telangana State Film Development Corporation, the Telangana government cleared awards from 2014 to 2023 by recognising three films per year, constituted dedicated committees, finalised the 2024 awards, and presented all awards in a single, decisive event. Notably, notifications for 2025 have already been issued. This was governance with clarity, urgency, and respect for cinema.

The comparison is unavoidable and uncomfortable: why should Andhra Pradesh, with its rich cinematic legacy, lag behind?

This brings us to the core question for the authorities—and especially for Pavan Kalyan. If not now, when? If not under a Deputy Chief Minister who comes from the film industry and understands its pulse, then under whom?

The first essential step is administrative: appointing a full-time, empowered Chairman to the Andhra Pradesh State Film Development Corporation. Without leadership, processes stagnate. With leadership, even the most complex backlogs can be resolved.

Pavan Kalyan has consistently positioned himself as a disruptor, a reformer, and a leader who challenges inertia. This is an opportunity to translate that ethos into concrete action. Clearing the Nandi Awards backlog in one decisive stroke would send a powerful message—that Andhra Pradesh values its artists, honours its promises, and respects cultural institutions.

It is not too late. But delay will only deepen the sense of neglect.

This is not a criticism rooted in opposition, but a call grounded in expectation. The film industry looks toward Pavan Kalyan not just as a star or a politician, but as one of its own. The moment demands initiative, empathy, and decisive leadership.

The call is clear: it is time for Pavan Kalyan, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, to act—and to let the Nandi Awards finally speak for a silenced decade.

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Machiraju Sai Prasad is a Nandi Award-winning producer and director, a former Member of India's Central Board of Film Certification, and a veteran media consultant based in Hyderabad.