Amaravati, Aug 1 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan have congratulated actor Nandamuri Balakrishna for the best Telugu national film award for the movie ‘Bhagavanth Kesari’.

Chandrababu Naidu took to X to congratulate Balakrishna, who is his brother-in-law and MLA of Telugu Desam Party (TDP)

“It is a delight that the film ‘Bhagavanth Kesari’, starring Telugu cinema hero and Padma Bhushan Nandamuri Balakrishna, has received the National Award for Best Telugu Film for the year 2023. It is a great achievement that this film, which won the audience’s appreciation back then, is now also receiving awards. Congratulations to Balakrishna garu and the film crew,” wrote the Chief Minister.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who himself is a top Tollywood actor, congratulated the National Film Award Winners. “It’s heartening to see the Telugu film industry receiving several awards at the 71st National Film Awards. It is delightful that ‘Bhagavanth Kesari,’ starring my brother and Hindupur MLA Sri Nandamuri Balakrishna, has been selected for the Best Telugu Film Award,” posted Pawan Kalyan.

He congratulated the film’s director, Anil Ravipudi, producers Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi. “The film ‘Hanu-Man’ has been selected as the Best VFX Film. Congratulations to the film’s director, Prasanth Varma, VFX experts, and producer.”

Pawan Kalyan also congratulated Neelam Sai Rajesh for winning the award for best screenplay (for the movie Baby), Kasarla Shyam for best lyricist (Balagam), P.V.N.S. Rohit for best male playback singer (Baby), Nandu Prithvi for best stunt choreographer (Hanu-Man), and Sukrithiveni Bandreddi for best child artist (Gandhi Thatha Chettu).

The actor-politician said that these awards brought renewed enthusiasm to the film industry.

Pawan Kalyan also congratulated Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey for bagging the awards for best actors, Rani Mukerji for best actress, Sudipto Sen as best director, and other award winners.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s son and state minister Nara Lokesh, who is the son-in-law of Balakrishna, congratulated him on the national award for his movie.

Telangana’s minister for cinematography, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, expressed happiness over the Telugu film industry bagging seven National Film Awards.

He congratulated Balakrishna, Kasarla Shyam and other awardees.

–IANS

ms/uk