Telangana civil society members, including 72 activists and several social workers wrote to the Congress-led government to withdraw the Gaddar award accorded to Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad on Saturday, June 21.
The film, produced by BJP leader Gudur Narayana Reddy, seeks to tell the story of the former princely state of Hyderabad’s integration into the Union of India. However, it brushes aside the nuances of the Telangana Peasant Rebellion and the oppression of predominantly lowered caste workers by the Nizam’s Razakars in collusion with dominant caste landlords. The movie also reduced the accession into a simplistic Hindu-Muslim binary by painting it as plainly an instance of religious persecution.
The movie was presented the Telangana Gaddar Film Award by the state government on Saturday, June 14, for the Best Feature Film on History.
“The film does not contribute to historical understanding or national integration; instead, it actively promotes communal enmity and violence, further deepening social divides. Rather than promoting harmony or constructive dialogue, the content of Razakar is inflammatory, divisive, and aimed at inciting hatred between communities,” the letter read.
The letter was addressed to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Telangana State Film Development Corporation MD Dil Raju.
TNM had reported on how the movie was in violation of the regulations for the Telangana Gaddar Awards. The letter references provision 21 of the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards Regulations, 2024, which clearly states, “The jury must not consider films that disrupt communal harmony and cultural integrity.”
“Once legitimised, its content risks being used as a reference in future discourse, reinforcing communal prejudices and spreading misinformation under the veil of historical truth,” the letter further said adding that movies like Razakar are part of a broader, well-documented set of films like The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story that similarly promote hate.
The letter demanded that the Telangana government withdraw the award conferred to Razakar in the Best Film on History category and further asked for an independent enquiry into how the jury approved this film. The activists also asked for a public clarification from the Telangana State Film Development Corporation reaffirming its commitment to cultural integrity, secular values, and the original intent of the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards.