Chandanavana Film Critics Awards 2025

Shiva Rajkumar gets Lifetime Achievement Award; Duniya Vijay Best Director, Ganesh Best Actor

Bengaluru Express
Bengaluru, May 16:

Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards 2025 at a gala event in Bengaluru on May 11. He was presented with a trophy, a gold medal instituted by Hamsalekha’s Iydani and a citation. Shiva Rajkumar is the first recipient of the Lifetime Award in the sixth edition of the Awards.

Among the other prominent winners on Sunday include action star ‘Duniya’ Vijay who ended up with the Best Director awards for his film Bheema. ‘Golden Star’ Ganesh walked away with the Best Actor award for his performance in Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi. Roshni Prakash won the Best Actress award for Murphy. Hadinelentu directed by Prithvi Konanur was named the Best Film of 2024 by the critics.

The Best Supporting Actress award was shared by two actresses; Anu Prabhakar for Bhairadevi and Rekha Koodligi for Hadinelentu. In music, Charan Raj bagged the Best Music Director award for Bheema while the Best BGM award went to Ravi Basrur for Bhairathi Ranagal.

A total of 30 awards were presented in five different categories; debut awards, technical awards, music awards, acting and directing awards and special jury awards. Veteran music composer Hamsalekha, senior directors Nagabharana, actress Suman Nagarkar and Padma Shri awardee Dr.Kamini Rao among others gave away the awards.

Among the notable winners in the debut categories was Samarjit Lankesh, who was adjudged the Best Debut Actor and Utsav Gonwar who won the Best Debut Director Award for Photo.

Chandanavan Film Critics Academy Awards 2025 Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Shiva Rajkumar

Best Direction
Vijayakumar (Movie: Bheema)

Best Film
Hadinelentu

Best Actor
Ganesh (Movie: Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi)

Best Actress
Roshini Prakash (Movie: Murphy)

Best Screenplay
Prithvi Konanur (Movie: Hadinelentu)

Best Supporting Actor
Gopalakrishna Deshpande (Movie: Shakhahari)

Best Supporting Actress
Rekha Kudligi (Movie: Hadinelentu)
Anu Prabhakar (Movie: Bhairadevi)

Best Child Actress/Actor
Rithusparsha (Movie: Taekwondo Girl)

Best Music Director
Charan Raj ( Movie: Bheema)

Best Background Music
Ravi Basruru (Movie: Bhairathi Rangal)

Best Screenplay
Dr. Nagendra Prasad (Movie: Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi, Song: Dwapara)

Best Singer Male
Rahul and MC Biju (Movie: Bheema, Song: Bad Boys)

Best Singer Female
Indu Nagaraj (Movie: Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi, Song: Chinnamma)

Best Choreography
Madan Harini (Song: Sri Krishnam Jagat Karnam, Movie: Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi)

Best Cinematography
Shekhar Chandra (Movie: Max)

Best Debut Director (Shankar Nag Award)
Utsav Gonwar (Movie: Photo)

Best Debut Producer (Puneeth Rajkumar Award)
Rajesh Keelambi and Ranjani Prasanna (Movie: Shakhahari)

Best Debut Writer (Ch. Udayashankar Award)
Jay Shankar (Movie: Shivamma)

Best Debut Actress (Tripurambha Award)
Sherlyn Bhosle (Movie: Hadinelentu)

Best Debut Actor (Sanchari Vijay Award)
Samarjit Lankesh (Movie: Gauri)

Best Dialogue
Nagaraj Somayaji (Movie: Maryaade Prashne)

Best Editing
Ujwal Chandra (Movie: Shalivahana Shake)

Best Art Direction
G. Shivakumar (Movie: UI)

Best Action Direction
Chetan D’Souza (Movie: Max)

Best VFX
Nirmal Kumar (Movie: Bagheera)

Jury Awards

1. Mamata Rahuth (Movie: Tarini)
2. Palani D Senapati (Veteran Sound Engineer)
3. Poorvi Productions – Dr. Kamini Rao’s Master Class
4. Best Debut in a Negative Role – Dragon Manju (Bheema)

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