VIJAYAWADA: The Nandi Awards, a symbol of excellence in Telugu cinema and theatre, will be revived with renewed prestige and purpose, said Tourism and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh, reaffirming the Andhra Pradesh government’s commitment to honour artistic merit and cultural heritage.
He said the revival of the Nandi Awards and Nandi Theatre Festivals (Natakotsavalu) marks the beginning of a new era for AP’s cinematography, placing creative talent at the centre of policy and governance. The Minister was addressing industry leaders and investors at the CII Big Picture Summit-2025 held Juhu, Mumbai on Monday.
He said Telugu cinema has entered a transformative phase, with Andhra Pradesh positioning itself as the most film-shooting-friendly State in the country.
He informed that the State government is working at an accelerated pace to unveil a comprehensive and integrated Film Tourism Policy, aimed at strengthening the industry from production to exhibition while creating a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem for filmmakers, technicians and creative professionals.
Highlighting the expanding footprint of Telugu cinema, the Minister noted that it has emerged as India’s second-largest film industry after Hindi cinema, contributing close to 20% of the national film market.
‘’Films such as Baahubali, RRR, Kalki 2898 AD, Pushpa, Salaar and OG have set new global benchmarks in storytelling, visual effects, production quality and box-office performance, firmly establishing Telugu cinema as a global brand’’, he added. He further said that Andhra Pradesh has 1,103 cinema screens, the second-highest in the country after Tamil Nadu, reflecting the State’s strong exhibition base.
Emphasising ease of filming, Durgesh said the government is committed to offering fast, transparent and hassle-free single-window clearances for shoots at government and public locations. Plans are also underway to support the development of integrated film cities, modern studios, dubbing theatres and post-production facilities, with full government facilitation.
The Minister further said Andhra Pradesh offers industry status to tourism and hospitality, 100% stamp duty reimbursement on land purchase or lease, SGST reimbursement for up to 15 years, capital subsidies for MSME and mega projects, and concessional power tariffs for hospitality units. The State has set a target of attracting Rs 25,000 crore in private investments by 2029 in tourism and allied sectors.
Durgesh also outlined the vision to develop Andhra Pradesh as a global hub for AI, VFX and gaming, aligned with the Swarna Andhra Vision-2047. Leveraging its beaches, rivers, hill stations, pilgrimage centres and cultural heritage, he said cinema would be a powerful tool in showcasing Andhra Pradesh to the world, and invited global investors to partner in building world-class creative infrastructure in the State, he added. Toursim MD Amrapali Kata and others attended.