# Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu

The Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Telugu films. The awards were extended to "Best Actress" in 1972. The year indicates the year of release of the film.

## Winners and nominees

Table key :
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |

### 1970s

| Year | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 1972 | J. Jayalalithaa ‡ | Satyabhama / Chandrasena | Sri Krishna Satya |
| 1973 | Vanisri ‡ | Roja | Jeevana Tarangalu |
| 1974 | Vanisri ‡ | Krishnaveni | Krishnaveni |
| 1974 | Roja Ramani | | O Seeta Katha |
| 1974 | Vijaya Nirmala | Seeta | Alluri Seetarama Raju |
| 1975 | Vanisri ‡ | Lakshmi / Sobha | Jeevana Jyothi |
| 1975 | Annapurna | Annapoorna | Swargam Narakam |
| 1975 | Sangeeta | Lakshmi | Mutyala Muggu |
| 1976 | Jayasudha ‡ | Jyothi | Jyothi |
| 1976 | Jaya Prada | Saritha | Anthuleni Katha |
| 1976 | Jaya Prada | Lalitha | Siri Siri Muvva |
| 1976 | Madhavi | Hyma | Oorummadi Brathukulu |
| 1976 | Vanisri | Radha | Aradhana |
| 1977 | Jayasudha ‡ | | Aame Katha |
| 1977 | Jaya Prada | Padma | Adavi Ramudu |
| 1977 | Lakshmi | | Panthulamma |
| 1977 | Sripriya | Malli | Chilakamma Cheppindi |
| 1977 | Vanisri | Radha | Edureeta |
| 1978 | Talluri Rameswari ‡ | Seetalu | Seetamalakshmi |
| 1978 | Mamata Shankar | Nilamma | Oka Oori Katha |
| 1978 | Roopa | | Naalaaga Endaro |
| 1978 | Saritha | Swapna | Maro Charitra |
| 1978 | Sridevi | Malli | Padaharella Vayasu |
| 1979 | Sujatha ‡ | Vidya | Guppedu Manasu |
| 1979 | Jayasudha | Suhasini | Idi Katha Kaadu |
| 1979 | Sarada | | Nimajjanam |
| 1979 | Sowcar Janaki | Tayaramma | Tayaramma Bangarayya |
| 1979 | Sridevi | Radha | Karthika Deepam |

### 1980s

| Year | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 1980 | Jyothi ‡ | ASP Vyjayanthi | Vamsa Vruksham |
| 1980 | Jaya Prada | Chandipriya | Chandipriya |
| 1980 | Jayasudha | | Pilla Zamindar |
| 1980 | Suryakantham | | Gayyali Gangamma |
| 1980 | Vanisri | | Mahalakshmi |
| 1981 | Radhika Sarathkumar ‡ | Bharathi Devi | Nyayam Kavali |
| 1981 | Jaya Prada | Vaishali | 47 Rojulu |
| 1981 | Jayasudha | Jayanthi | Premabhishekam |
| 1981 | Poornima | Durga | Mudda Mandaram |
| 1981 | Sridevi | Devi | Premabhishekam |
| 1982 | Jayasudha ‡ | | Griha Pravesham |
| 1982 | Jaya Prada | Padma | Meghasandesam |
| 1982 | Madhavi | Jayalaxmi | Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya |
| 1982 | Radhika Sarathkumar | Lalithamba | Patnam Vachina Pativrathalu |
| 1982 | Sumalatha | Sujatha | Subhalekha |
| 1983 | Jaya Prada ‡ | Madhavi | Sagara Sangamam |
| 1983 | Jayasudha | | Dharmaatmudu |
| 1983 | Radhika Sarathkumar | Archana | Abhilasha |
| 1983 | Saritha | | Kokilamma |
| 1983 | Vijayashanti | | Neti Bharatam |
| 1984 | Suhasini Maniratnam ‡ | Swati | Swathi |
| 1984 | Bhanupriya | Sitara / Kokila | Sitaara |
| 1984 | Jayasudha | Jayanthi | Justice Chakravarthy |
| 1984 | Poornima | Swarna | Srivariki Premalekha |
| 1984 | Radha | Madhavi / Mary | Vasantha Geetam |
| 1985 | Vijayashanti ‡ | Jhansi | Pratighatana |
| 1985 | Bhanupriya | Hema | Anveshana |
| 1985 | Jayasudha | | Bharyabhartala Bandham |
| 1985 | Sudha Chandran | Mayuri Olpam | Mayuri |
| 1985 | Suhasini Maniratnam | Sravanti | Sravanthi |
| 1986 | Lakshmi ‡ | | Sravana Meghalu |
| 1986 | Khushbu Sundar | Bharathi | Kaliyuga Pandavulu |
| 1986 | Radhika Sarathkumar | Lalitha | Swathi Muthyam |
| 1986 | Radha | | Pasupu Thadu |
| 1986 | Suhasini Maniratnam | Subhashini | Sirivennela |
| 1987 | Vijayashanti ‡ | Ganga | Swayamkrushi |
| 1987 | Bhanupriya | SI Vidya | Dharmapatni |
| 1987 | Rajani | Padma | Aha Naa Pellanta |
| 1987 | Suhasini Maniratnam | Uma | Samsaram Oka Chadarangam |
| 1987 | Sumalatha | Sita | Sruthilayalu |
| 1988 | Bhanupriya ‡ | Meenakshi | Swarnakamalam |
| 1988 | Archana | Kamalakshi | Daasi |
| 1988 | Shobana | Lalitha Sivajyoti | Rudraveena |
| 1988 | Sridevi | Pravallika | Aakhari Poratam |
| 1988 | Vijayashanti | Janaki / Lakshmi | Janaki Ramudu |
| 1989 | Vijayashanti ‡ | | Bharatha Nari |
| 1989 | Amala Akkineni | Asha | Siva |
| 1989 | Girija Shettar | Geethanjali | Geethanjali |
| 1989 | Ramya Krishnan | Maggie | Sutradharulu |
| 1989 | Revathi | Seethalu | Prema |

### 1990s

| Year | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 1990 | Vijayashanti ‡ | ASP Vyjayanthi | Karthavyam |
| 1990 | Divya Bharti | Rani | Bobbili Raja |
| 1990 | Malashri | Neelima | Prema Khaidi |
| 1990 | Radha | Bijili | Kodama Simham |
| 1990 | Shobana | Kalyani | Alludugaru |
| 1990 | Sridevi | Indraja | Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari |
| 1991 | Sridevi ‡ | Satya | Kshana Kshanam |
| 1991 | Divyavani | Satyabhama | Pelli Pustakam |
| 1991 | Meena | Seeta | Seetharamayya Gari Manavaralu |
| 1991 | Sarada | Rajinama | Amma Rajinama |
| 1991 | Shobana | Anjali | Rowdy Gaari Pellam |
| 1992 | Revathi ‡ | Sindhura | Ankuram |
| 1992 | Divya Bharti | Chittemma | Chittemma Mogudu |
| 1992 | Meena | Nandini | Chanti |
| 1992 | Meenakshi Seshadri | Hema | Aapadbandhavudu |
| 1992 | Nagma | Uma Devi | Gharana Mogudu |
| 1993 | Vijayashanti ‡ | | Police Lockup |
| 1993 | Aamani | Jhansi / Goddess Lakshmi | Mister Pellam |
| 1993 | Madhavi | Sarada | Matru Devo Bhava |
| 1993 | Ramya Krishnan | Lalita Rani | Allari Priyudu |
| 1993 | Revathi | Anitha | Gaayam |
| 1994 | Aamani ‡ | Radha | Subhalagnam |
| 1994 | Jayasudha | Savitri | Bangaru Kutumbam |
| 1994 | Ooha | Ooha | Aame |
| 1994 | Radhika Sarathkumar | Seetha | Palnati Pourusham |
| 1995 | Soundarya ‡ | Bhavani | Ammoru |
| 1995 | Aamani | Ganga | Subha Sankalpam |
| 1995 | Indraja | Neelima | Sogasu Chooda Tarama! |
| 1995 | Maheswari | Pooja | Gulabi |
| 1995 | Rohini | | Stri |
| 1996 | Tabu ‡ | Mahalakshmi | Ninne Pelladata |
| 1996 | Rambha | Raga Sudha | Bombay Priyudu |
| 1996 | Ravali | Kalyani | Pelli Sandadi |
| 1996 | Shilpa Shetty | Bangaram | Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya |
| 1996 | Soundarya | Radha | Pavitra Bandham |
| 1997 | Vijayashanti ‡ | Ramulamma | Osey Ramulamma |
| 1997 | Anjala Zaveri | Kaveri | Preminchukundam Raa |
| 1997 | Maheswari | Maheswari | Pelli |
| 1997 | Sanghavi | Baby | Sindhooram |
| 1997 | Soundarya | Subbalakshmi | Dongaata |
| 1998 | Soundarya ‡ | Bhanumati | Anthahpuram |
| 1998 | Isha Koppikar | Lekha | Chandralekha |
| 1998 | Keerthi Reddy | Anu | Tholi Prema |
| 1998 | Preity Zinta | Shailaja | Premante Idera |
| 1998 | Ramya Krishnan | Jyothi | Kante Koothurne Kanu |
| 1999 | Soundarya ‡ | Anjali | Raja |
| 1999 | Antara Mali | Divya | Prema Katha |
| 1999 | Maheswari | Sasirekha | Nee Kosam |
| 1999 | Prema | Devi | Devi |
| 1999 | Raasi | Mahalakshmi | Preyasi Raave |

### 2000s

| Year | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 2000 | Richa Pallod ‡ | Madhu | Nuvve Kavali |
| 2000 | Laya | Usha | Manoharam |
| 2000 | Soundarya | Uma | Jayam Manadera |
| 2000 | Soundarya | Gajjala Kanaka Maha Lakshmi Devi | Annayya |
| 2001 | Bhumika Chawla ‡ | Madhumati | Kushi |
| 2001 | Laya | Meena | Preminchu |
| 2001 | Simran | Sravani | Narasimha Naidu |
| 2001 | Sonali Bendre | Vasundhara | Murari |
| 2002 | Sadha ‡ | Sujatha | Jayam |
| 2002 | Aarthi Agarwal | Krishna Veni | Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu |
| 2002 | Kalyani | Swathi | Avunu Valliddaru Ista Paddaru! |
| 2002 | Shriya Saran | Bhanu | Santosham |
| 2003 | Asin ‡ | Mugambigambal | Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi |
| 2003 | Asin | Vasanta | Sivamani |
| 2003 | Bhumika Chawla | Meghana | Missamma |
| 2003 | Sridevi Vijaykumar | Geetanjali | Ninne Ishtapaddanu |
| 2004 | Trisha Krishnan ‡ | Sailaja | Varsham |
| 2004 | Jyothika | Anjali | Mass |
| 2004 | Kamalinee Mukherjee | Roopa | Anand |
| 2004 | Katrina Kaif | Malliswari | Malliswari |
| 2004 | Shriya Saran | Anu | Nenunnanu |
| 2005 | Trisha Krishnan ‡ | Siri | Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana |
| 2005 | Ayesha Takia | Siri Valli | Super |
| 2005 | Charmy Kaur | Sahasra | Anukokunda Oka Roju |
| 2005 | Shriya Saran | Neelu | Chatrapathi |
| 2005 | Trisha Krishnan | Poori | Athadu |
| 2006 | Genelia D'Souza ‡ | Haasini Rao | Bommarillu |
| 2006 | Aarthi Agarwal | Radha | Andala Ramudu |
| 2006 | Ileana D'Cruz | Shruti | Pokiri |
| 2006 | Jyothika | Madhurima | Shock |
| 2006 | Kamalinee Mukherjee | Seetha Mahalakshmi | Godavari |
| 2007 | Trisha Krishnan ‡ | Keerti / Kusumamba | Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule |
| 2007 | Bhumika Chawla | Anasuya | Anasuya |
| 2007 | Charmy Kaur | | Mantra |
| 2007 | Genelia D'Souza | Pooja | Dhee |
| 2007 | Nayanthara | Vasundhara | Tulasi |
| 2008 | Swathi Reddy ‡ | Lavanya | Ashta Chamma |
| 2008 | Ileana D'Cruz | Bhagyamathi | Jalsa |
| 2008 | Kamalinee Mukherjee | Janaki | Gamyam |
| 2008 | Shweta Basu Prasad | Swapna | Kotha Bangaru Lokam |
| 2008 | Trisha Krishnan | Sandhya | Krishna |
| 2009 | Anushka Shetty ‡ | Arundhati Jr / Arundhati Sr "Jejamma" | Arundhati |
| 2009 | Ileana D'Cruz | Naina | Kick |
| 2009 | Kajal Aggarwal | Indira / Mithravinda Devi | Magadheera |
| 2009 | Kamalinee Mukherjee | Gopika | Gopi Gopika Godavari |
| 2009 | Tamannaah Bhatia | Geeta Subramanyam | Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam |

### 2010s

| Year | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 2010 | Anushka Shetty ‡ | Saroja | Vedam |
| 2010 | Anushka Shetty | Chandramukhi/Nagavalli | Nagavalli |
| 2010 | Kajal Aggarwal | Nandini | Darling |
| 2010 | Nayanthara | Gayatri | Simha |
| 2010 | Samantha | Jessie Thekekuthu | Ye Maaya Chesave |
| 2011 | Nayanthara ‡ | Sita | Sri Rama Rajyam |
| 2011 | Kajal Aggarwal | Priya | Mr. Perfect |
| 2011 | Nithya Menen | Nithya | Ala Modalaindi |
| 2011 | Samantha | Prasanthi Ajay Kumar | Dookudu |
| 2011 | Tamannaah Bhatia | Veera Venkata Satya Sai Naga Durga Sesha Avathara Seetha Mahalakshmi | 100% Love |
| 2012 | Samantha ‡ | Bindu | Eega |
| 2012 | Anushka Shetty | Maheswari | Damarukam |
| 2012 | Hansika Motwani | Sharmila | Denikaina Ready |
| 2012 | Nayanthara | Devika | Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum |
| 2012 | Tamannaah Bhatia | Chaitra | Racha |
| 2013 | Nithya Menen ‡ | Sravani | Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde |
| 2013 | Anushka Shetty | Vennela | Mirchi |
| 2013 | Nanditha Raj | Nanditha | Prema Katha Chitram |
| 2013 | Rakul Preet Singh | Prarthana | Venkatadri Express |
| 2013 | Samantha | Sashi | Attarintiki Daredi |
| 2014 | Shruti Haasan ‡ | Spandana | Race Gurram |
| 2014 | Kajal Aggarwal | Satya | Govindudu Andarivadele |
| 2014 | Pooja Hegde | Nandana | Oka Laila Kosam |
| 2014 | Rakul Preet Singh | Chandrakala | Loukyam |
| 2014 | Samantha | Krishna Veni / Priya | Manam |
| 2015 | Anushka Shetty ‡ | Rudrama Devi | Rudhramadevi |
| 2015 | Hebah Patel | Meena Kumari | Kumari 21F |
| 2015 | Nithya Menen | Nazeera Khanum | Malli Malli Idi Rani Roju |
| 2015 | Shruti Haasan | Charuseela | Srimanthudu |
| 2015 | Tamannaah Bhatia | Avantika | Baahubali: The Beginning |
| 2016 | Samantha ‡ | Anasuya Ramalingam | A Aa |
| 2016 | Keerthy Suresh | Sailaja | Nenu Sailaja |
| 2016 | Lavanya Tripathi | Seetha | Soggade Chinni Nayana |
| 2016 | Nivetha Thomas | Catherine | Gentleman |
| 2016 | Rakul Preet Singh | Divyanka Krishnamurthy | Nannaku Prematho |
| 2016 | Ritu Varma | Chitra | Pelli Choopulu |
| 2017 | Sai Pallavi ‡ | Bhanumati | Fidaa |
| 2017 | Anushka Shetty | Devasena | Baahubali 2: The Conclusion |
| 2017 | Nivetha Thomas | Pallavi | Ninnu Kori |
| 2017 | Rakul Preet Singh | Bhramaramba | Rarandoi Veduka Chudham |
| 2017 | Ritika Singh | Rameswari | Guru |
| 2018 | Keerthy Suresh ‡ | Savitri | Mahanati |
| 2018 | Aditi Rao Hydari | Sameera Rathore | Sammohanam |
| 2018 | Anushka Shetty | Bhaagamathie / Chanchala IAS | Bhaagamathie |
| 2018 | Pooja Hegde | Aravindha | Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava |
| 2018 | Rashmika Mandanna | Geetha | Geetha Govindam |
| 2018 | Samantha | Ramalakshmi | Rangasthalam |

### 2020s

| Year | Actress | Role(s) | Film |
| 2020 / 21 | Sai Pallavi ‡ | Mounika Rani | Love Story |
| 2020 / 21 | Sai Pallavi | Rosie / Maithreyi | Shyam Singha Roy |
| 2020 / 21 | Chandini Chowdary | Deepthi Varma | Colour Photo |
| 2020 / 21 | Krithi Shetty | Sangeetha "Bebamma" | Uppena |
| 2020 / 21 | Pooja Hegde | Amulya | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo |
| 2020 / 21 | Rashmika Mandanna | Chaitra | Bheeshma |
| 2020 / 21 | Rashmika Mandanna | Srivalli | Pushpa: The Rise |
| 2022 | Mrunal Thakur ‡ | Princess Noor Jahan / Sita Mahalakshmi | Sita Ramam |
| 2022 | Aishwarya Lekshmi | Amudha Ravindranath | Ammu |
| 2022 | Nazriya Nazim | Leela Thomas | Ante Sundaraniki |
| 2022 | Neha Shetty | Radhika | DJ Tillu |
| 2022 | Nithya Menen | Suguna | Bheemla Nayak |
| 2022 | Sai Pallavi | Vennela | Virata Parvam |
| 2022 | Samantha | Yashoda | Yashoda |
| 2023 | Keerthy Suresh ‡ | Vennala | Dasara |
| 2023 | Mrunal Thakur | Yashna | Hi Nanna |
| 2023 | Vaishnavi Chaitanya | Vaishnavi | Baby |
| 2023 | Anushka Shetty | Anvitha Ravali Shetty | Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty |
| 2023 | Samantha | Shakuntala | Shaakuntalam |

## Superlatives

| Superlative | Actress | Record |
| Most awards | Vijayashanti | 6 wins |
| Youngest winner | Jyothi | 17 years |
| Youngest nominees | Sridevi, Divya Bharti | 16 years |
* Vanisri won the award the most times in the 70's with three wins. Vijayashanti won the most in the 80s and 90s with three wins each decade. In the 90s, Soundarya had three wins. Trisha Krishnan won the award three times in 2000s, while Anushka Shetty has the most wins in 2010s with two wins.
* Jayasudha and Tabu are the two actress who have won both Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu.
* Seven actresses have won the awards in consecutive years: Vanisri (1973–1975), Jayasudha (1976–1977), Vijayashanti (1989–1990), Soundarya (1998–1999), Trisha Krishnan (2004–2005), Anushka Shetty (2009–2010) and Sai Pallavi (2021-2022). Vanisri is the only actress to win the award three times consecutively.
* J. Jayalalithaa, Revathi, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Sai Pallavi are the only actresses to win both Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil and Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu in the same year for their performances in the year 1972, 1992, 2012 and 2022 respectively.
* Seven actresses have won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for their debut Telugu films. In chronological order Sujatha(1979),Radhika Sarathkumar (1981), Richa Pallod (2000), Sadha (2002), Asin (2003), Sai Pallavi (2017) and Mrunal Thakur (2022).
* Nithya Menen is the first actress to win both the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu (in 2013) and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress (in 2015).
* Sai Pallavi is the first actress who won both Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress -Telugu awards in the same year (2022).
* Vijayashanti and Keerthy Suresh both have won Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and National Film Award for Best Actress for their performances in Kartavyam (1990) and Mahanati (2018) respectively.
* Jayasudha has received the most nominations with Ten, followed by Anushka Shetty, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu each with nine nominations.
* In 1981, the one and only time till date, two actresses were nominated for the same film: Jayasudha and Sridevi for Premabhishekam.

## Multiple wins

The following individuals have received multiple Best Actress awards:
| Wins | Actress |
| 6 | Vijayashanti |
| 3 | Vanisri, Jayasudha, Soundarya, Trisha Krishnan, Anushka Shetty |
| 2 | Samantha, Sai Pallavi, Keerthy Suresh |

### Multiple nominations

The following individuals have received multiple Best Actress nominations:
| Nominations | Actress |
| 10 | Jayasudha |
| 9 | Anushka Shetty, Samantha |
| 8 | Vijayashanti |
| 7 | Jaya Prada, Soundarya |
| 6 | Vanisri, Sridevi |
| 5 | Radhika Sarathkumar, Trisha Krishnan |
| 4 | Sai Pallavi |