SIIMA 2025: Telugu cinema shines bright at Dubai Gala
The South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) 2025 unfolded in grandeur at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City, where the spotlight on Day 1 was firmly on Telugu cinema. The evening celebrated stellar performances, path-breaking direction, and emerging talent that shaped Tollywood over the past year.
The biggest winner of the night was Kalki, bagging the Best Film award, reaffirming its dominance at both the box office and among critics. Adding to the triumph, Allu Arjun walked away with the Best Actor award, while Rashmika Mandanna took home Best Actress, both praised for their powerful portrayals.
In the critics’ category, Teja Sajja was honoured as Best Actor (Critics) for his unique choices and impactful performance, while Meenakshi Chaudhary won Best Actress (Critics). Sukumar was crowned Best Director, while the visionary Prashanth Varma bagged the Best Director (Critics) award, marking his creative storytelling.
Legends were also celebrated — Amitabh Bachchan was recognised as Best Supporting Actor, with the award received by actress Anna Ben, who herself was honoured as Best Supporting Actress. Kamal Haasan was felicitated as Best Villain, proving his versatility once again.
On the music front, Devi Sri Prasad (DSP) won Best Music Director, with Ramajogayya Sastry clinching Best Lyricist. Vocal brilliance was celebrated with Shankar Babu Kandukuri named Best Playback Singer (Male) and Shilpa Rao as Best Playback Singer (Female).
The stage also welcomed new talent—Pankhuri and Bhagyashree Borse as Best Debut Actresses, Sandeep Saroj as Best Debut Actor, and Niharika Konidela as Best Debut Producer. Nanda Kishore Yemani was awarded Best Debut Director.
Other notable honours included Ratnavelu for Best Cinematography and Satya, crowned Best Comedian, with actress Faria receiving the award on his behalf.
Day 1 at SIIMA 2025 truly showcased the vibrant spirit of Telugu cinema, setting the stage for more celebrations across South Indian industries in the days ahead.
