# Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu

The Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu is presented by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Telugu films. The awards were extended to "Best Director" in 1972.

## Superlatives

| Superlative | Best Director – Telugu | Best Director – Telugu |
| Most awards | K. Viswanath | 8 wins |
| Most nominations | S. S. Rajamouli | 10 nominations |
* K. Viswanath has the record of winning most awards eight and winning the award twice in a row, on three separate occasions (1974–1975, 1982-1983 and 1986–1987). S. S. Rajamouli has received the award five times, which is the second most.
* Nandini Reddy and Sripriya were the only two female directors to have been nominated for their films Ala Modalaindi (2011) and Drushyam (2014) respectively.
* Krish remains the only director to have won the award for his first two films, Gamyam and Vedam, consecutively.
* Sukumar, Venu Yeldandi and Krish are the only directors who received the award for their debut film.

## Winners

| Year | Director | Film |
| 2023 | Venu Yeldandi | Balagam |
| 2022 | S. S. Rajamouli | RRR |
| 2020–2021 | Sukumar | Pushpa: The Rise |
| 2018 | Nag Ashwin | Mahanati |
| 2017 | S. S. Rajamouli | Baahubali: The Conclusion |
| 2016 | Vamsi Paidipally | Oopiri |
| 2015 | S. S. Rajamouli | Baahubali: The Beginning |
| 2014 | Vikram Kumar | Manam |
| 2013 | Trivikram Srinivas | Atharintiki Daaredi |
| 2012 | S. S. Rajamouli | Eega |
| 2011 | Sreenu Vaitla | Dookudu |
| 2010 | Krish | Vedam |
| 2009 | S. S. Rajamouli | Magadheera |
| 2008 | Krish | Gamyam |
| 2007 | Sekhar Kammula | Happy Days |
| 2006 | Puri Jagannadh | Pokiri |
| 2005 | Trivikram Srinivas | Athadu |
| 2004 | Sukumar | Arya |
| 2003 | Gunasekhar | Okkadu |
| 2002 | Krishna Vamsi | Khadgam |
| 2001 | Teja | Nuvvu Nenu |
| 2000 | K. Vijaya Bhaskar | Nuvve Kavali |
| 1999 | B. Gopal | Samarasimha Reddy |
| 1998 | Krishna Vamsi | Anthahpuram |
| 1997 | K. Raghavendra Rao | Annamayya |
| 1996 | Krishna Vamsi | Ninne Pelladata |
| 1995 | K. Viswanath | Subha Sankalpam |
| 1994 | S. V. Krishna Reddy | Subhalagnam |
| 1993 | K. Raghavendra Rao | Allari Priyudu |
| 1992 | K. Viswanath | Aapadbandhavudu |
| 1991 | Kranthi Kumar | Seetharamayya Gari Manavaralu |
| 1990 | K. Raghavendra Rao | Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari |
| 1989 | Mani Ratnam | Geethanjali |
| 1988 | M. V. Raghu | Kallu |
| 1987 | K. Viswanath | Sruthilayalu |
| 1986 | K. Viswanath | Swathi Muthyam |
| 1985 | Singeetham Srinivasa Rao | Mayuri |
| 1984 | Jandhyala | Srivariki Premalekha |
| 1983 | K. Viswanath | Saagara Sangamam |
| 1982 | K. Viswanath | Subhalekha |
| 1981 | Dasari Narayana Rao | Premabhishekam |
| 1980 | Bapu | Vamsa Vruksham |
| 1979 | Dasari Narayana Rao | Gorintaku |
| 1978 | K. Balachander | Maro Charitra |
| 1977 | K. Raghavendra Rao | Prema Lekhalu |
| 1976 | Bapu | Seetha Kalyanam |
| 1975 | K. Viswanath | Jeevana Jyothi |
| 1974 | K. Viswanath | O Seeta Katha |
| 1973 | T. Rama Rao | Jeevana Tharangaalu |
| 1972 | K. V. Reddy | Sri Krishna Satya |

## Nominations

Before 2000 year there have been no nominations for Filmfare Awards South in Telugu films, The panel of judges jury members are selected for winners in different Categories.

### 2000s

* 2001: Teja – Nuvvu Nenu
** B. Gopal – Narasimha Naidu
** Krishna Vamsi – Murari
* 2002: Krishna Vamsi – Khadgam
** Puri Jagannadh – Idiot
** Teja – Jayam
** V. V. Vinayak – Aadi
* 2003: Gunasekhar – Okkadu
** Rasool Ellore – Okariki Okaru
** S. S. Rajamouli – Simhadri
** YVS Chowdary – Seetayya
* 2004: Sukumar – Arya
** K. Vijaya Bhaskar – Malliswari
** S. S. Rajamouli – Sye
** Sekhar Kammula – Anand
* 2005: Trivikram Srinivas – Athadu
** Muppalaneni Shiva – Sankranti
** Prabhu Deva – Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana
** Puri Jagannadh – Super
** S. S. Rajamouli – Chhatrapati
* 2006: Puri Jagannadh – Pokiri
** Bhaskar – Bommarillu
** S. S. Rajamouli – Vikramarkudu
** Shekhar Kammula – Godavari
* 2007: Sekhar Kammula – Happy Days
** Puri Jagannadh – Desamuduru
** S. S. Rajamouli – Yamadonga
** Sreenu Vaitla – Dhee
** Tulasiram – Mantra
* 2008: Krish – Gamyam
** Bhaskar – Parugu
** Ravi Babu – Nachavule
** Sreenu Vaitla – Ready
** Trivikram Srinivas – Jalsa
* 2009: S. S. Rajamouli – Magadheera
** Chaitanya Dantaluri – Banam
** Kodi Ramakrishna – Arundhati
** Sukumar – Arya 2
** Surender Reddy – Kick

### 2010s

* 2010: Krish – Vedam
** Boyapati Srinu – Simha
** Gautham Vasudev Menon – Ye Maaya Chesave
** Sekhar Kammula – Leader
** Vamsi Paidipally – Brindavanam
* 2011: Sreenu Vaitla – Dookudu
** Bapu – Sri Rama Rajyam
** Dasaradh – Mr. Perfect
** Nandini Reddy – Ala Modalaindi
** Sukumar – 100% Love
* 2012: S. S. Rajamouli – Eega
** Harish Shankar – Gabbar Singh
** Krish – Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum
** Puri Jagannadh – Business Man
** Trivikram Srinivas – Julayi
* 2013: Trivikram Srinivas- Atharintiki Daaredi
** Koratala Siva – Mirchi
** Srikanth Addala – Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu
** Vijaykumar Konda – Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde
** Virinchi Varma – Uyyala Jampala
* 2014: Vikram Kumar – Manam
** Chandoo Mondeti – Karthikeya
** Sripriya – Drushyam
** Sujeeth – Run Raja Run
** Surender Reddy – Race Gurram
* 2015: S. S. Rajamouli – Baahubali: The Beginning
** Koratala Siva – Srimanthudu
** Kranthi Madhav – Malli Malli Idi Rani Roju
** Krish – Kanche
** Trivikram Srinivas – S/O Satyamurthy
* 2016: Vamsi Paidipally – Oopiri
** Koratala Siva – Janatha Garage
** Ravikanth Perepu – Kshanam
** Sukumar – Nannaku Prematho
** Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam – Pelli Choopulu
** Trivikram Srinivas – A Aa
* 2017: S. S. Rajamouli – Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
** Krish – Gauthamiputra Satakarni
** Sandeep Reddy Vanga – Arjun Reddy
** Sankalp Reddy – Ghazi
** Satish Vegesna – Sathamanam Bhavati
** Sekhar Kammula – Fidaa
* 2018: Nag Ashwin – Mahanati
** Indraganti Mohan Krishna – Sammohanam
** Koratala Siva – Bharat Ane Nenu
** Parasuram – Geetha Govindam
** Sukumar – Rangasthalam
** Venkatesh Maha – C/o Kancharapalem

### 2020s

* 2020–2021: Sukumar – Pushpa: The Rise
** Buchi Babu Sana – Uppena
** Karuna Kumar – Palasa 1978
** Rahul Sankrityan – Shyam Singha Roy
** Sekhar Kammula – Love Story
** Trivikram Srinivas – Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo
** Uday Gurrala – Mail
* 2022: S. S. Rajamouli – RRR
** Chandoo Mondeti – Karthikeya 2
** Hanu Raghavapudi – Sita Ramam
** Sai Kiran – Masooda
** Sashi Kiran Tikka – Major
** Vimal Krishna – DJ Tillu
* 2023: Venu Yeldandi – Balagam
** Anil Ravipudi – Bhagavanth Kesari
** Karthik Varma Dandu – Virupaksha
** Prashanth Neel – Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire
** Sai Rajesh Neelam – Baby
** Shouryuv – Hi Nanna
** Srikanth Odela – Dasara