On the auspicious occasion of Ugadi, the Telangana government hosted the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards 2026, where Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan was conferred with the prestigious Paidi Jairaj Film Award.
The award, named after the legendary Dadasaheb Phalke recipient Paidi Jairaj, was presented to Kamal Haasan by actor Nagarjuna in the presence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
During his acceptance speech, Kamal thanked the CM for resurrecting the state awards and naming them after the revolutionary poet Gaddar, stating that he has been a lifelong fan of the activist’s work.
Other notable winners included Chiranjeevi, who received the NTR National Film Award, and Mani Ratnam, who was honored for his contributions to Indian cinema. The ceremony was a grand celebration of the cultural ties between the Tamil and Telugu film industries.