# Karnataka State Film Award for First Best Film

The Karnataka State Film Award for First Best Film is a state film award of the Indian state of Karnataka given during the annual Karnataka State Film Awards. The award honors Kannada language films.

## Winners

| Year | Film(s) | Producer(s) | Director(s) | Refs. |
| 1967-68 | Belli Moda | T. N. Srinivasan | Puttanna Kanagal | |
| 1968-69 | Hannele Chiguridaga | • Srikanth Nahta • Srikanth Patel | M. R. Vittal | |
| 1969-70 | Gejje Pooje | Rashi Brothers | Puttanna Kanagal | |
| 1970-71 | Sharapanjara | C. S. Raja | Puttanna Kanagal | |
| 1971-72 | Vamsha Vriksha | G. V. Iyer | • B. V. Karanth • Girish Karnad | |
| 1972-73 | Sankalpa | P. V. Nanjaraja Urs | P. V. Nanjaraja Urs | |
| 1973-74 | Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu | • Siddalingaiah • S. P. Varadappa • N. Veeraswamy • Chandulal Jain | Siddalingaiah | |
| 1974-75 | Upasane | Rashi Brothers | Puttanna Kanagal | |
| 1975-76 | Chomana Dudi | Ashok Kumar | B. V. Karanth | |
| 1976-77 | Pallavi | K. S. Indira Lankesh | P. Lankesh | |
| 1977-78 | Ghatashraddha | Sadananda Suvarna | Girish Kasaravalli | |
| 1978-79 | Grahana | • D. Ramegowda • D. Venkatesh • D. Shivaram | T. S. Nagabharana | |
| 1979-80 | Arivu | K. R. Lalitha | Katte Ramachandra | |
| 1980-81 | Ranganayaki | B. Thimmanna | Puttanna Kanagal | |
| 1981-82 | Bara | M. S. Sathyu | M. S. Sathyu | |
| 1982-83 | Haalu Jenu | Parvathamma Rajkumar | Singeetam Srinivasa Rao | |
| 1983-84 | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 1984-85 | Accident | Shankar Nag | Shankar Nag | |
| 1985-86 | Hosa Neeru | K. S. Sachchidanand | K. V. Jayaram | |
| 1986-87 | Tabarana Kathe | Girish Kasaravalli | Girish Kasaravalli | |
| 1987-88 | Aasphota | V. Verghese | T. S. Nagabharana | |
| 1988-89 | Yaaru Hone | • V. Narasappa • Konda Reddy | N. T. Jayarama Reddy | |
| 1989-90 | Kubi Matthu Iyala | Sadananda Suvarna | Sadananda Suvarna | |
| 1990-91 | Muthina Haara | S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu | S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu | |
| 1991-92 | Veerappan | Chandulal Jain | Ravindranath | |
| 1992-93 | Jeevana Chaitra | Parvathamma Rajkumar | Dorai-Bhagwan | |
| 1993-94 | Nishkarsha | • Doddagowda C. Patil • G. M. Jayadevappa | Sunil Kumar Desai | |
| 1994-95 | Gangavva Gangamaayi | Chandulal Jain | Vasanth Mokashi | |
| 1995-96 | Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai | Chindodi Leela | Chindodi Bangaresh | |
| 1996-97 | America America | G. Nandakumar | Nagathihalli Chandrashekar | |
| 1997-98 | Thaayi Saheba | Jayamala | Girish Kasaravalli | |
| 1998-99 | Chaitrada Chiguru | Gururaj Seth | K. Shivarudraiah | |
| 1999-2000 | Deveeri | • Arathi Gadasalli • Bharathi Gowda • Hanumantha Reddy • Kavitha Lankesh | Kavitha Lankesh | |
| 2000-01 | Mussanje | • Beerappa • P. R. Ramadas Naidu | P. R. Ramadas Naidu | |
| 2001-02 | Dweepa | Soundarya | Girish Kasaravalli | |
| 2002-03 | Artha | • S. V. Shivakumar • Shylaja Nag | B. Suresha | |
| 2003-04 | Chigurida Kanasu | Parvathamma Rajkumar | T. S. Nagabharana | |
| 2004-05 | Monalisa | • K. S. Dushyanth • K. Santosh Kumar | Indrajit Lankesh | |
| 2005-06 | Naayi Neralu | • Abhishek Patil • Basant Kumar Patil | Girish Kasaravalli | |
| 2006-07 | Mungaaru Male | E. Krishnappa | Yogaraj Bhat | |
| 2007-08 | Gulabi Talkies | • Amrutha Patil • Basant Kumar Patil | Girish Kasaravalli | |
| 2008-09 | Kabaddi | • Asha • Kishore Kumar | Narendra Babu | |
| 2009-10 | Rasarushi Kuvempu | • Aravind Prakash • Padma Prakash | Rithwik Simha | |
| 2010-11 | Maagiya Kaala | Bhagya Moodnakoodu Chinnaswamy | K. Shivarudraiah | |
| 2011 | Prasad | Ashok Kheny | Manoj K. Sathi | |
| 2012 | Thallana | Thanmaya Chithra | N. Sudarshan | |
| 2013 | Hajj | Rajiv Kothary Tallur | Nikhil Manjoo | |
| 2014 | Harivu | Avinash U. Shetty | Manjunath Somashekar Reddy | |
| 2015 | Thithi | Prathap Reddy | Raam Reddy | |
| 2016 | Amaravathi | • E. Sushma • E. Madhava Reddy | B. M. Giriraj | |
| 2017 | Shuddhi | • Nandini Madesh • Madesh T. Bhaskar | Adarsh Eshwarappa | |
| 2018 | Aa Karaala Ratri | Dayal Padmanabhan | Dayal Padmanabhan | |
| 2019 | Mohandas | M/s Mitra Chitra | P. Sheshadri | |