Actress Pragya Jaiswal’s films ‘Kanche’ and ‘Akhanda’ have bagged the honours at the first edition of the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards in Hyderabad.
The awards were backed by the Telangana Government, and were held to honour the late revolutionary poet Gaddar, and it also marked the State’s commitment towards celebrating cinematic legacy.
Expressing gratitude about receiving two honours, Pragya Jaiswal says, “It’s the most credible and prestigious award that one can get for a film. My debut film, ‘Kanche’, won the second-best film of the year award, and ‘Akhanda’ also won the second-best film of the year award. Till ‘Daaku Maharaaj’ happened, these two films have been very close to my heart. Kanche is a very special film for me, it won a National award. When your first film wins a National award, a State award and best debut award, you feel most validated with these awards. We received this award from the Chief Minister of Telangana, and it was a great feeling”.
The actress also spoke about her closeness to both films, her parents’ reaction, her experience of working with the legendary Nandamuri Balakrishna, director Boyapati Srinu and also shared the greatest lesson she learnt from Kanche director, Krish Jagarlamudi.
Recalling the reaction she received from her parents, Pragya said, “Whenever I get an award, my parents are very happy. But for this one, especially, they were extra thrilled. It validates all the hard work and it feels very humbling”.
Pragya also spoke about the greatest learning she received from Kanche director Krish Jagarlamudi. She said, “When I was doing Kanche, I knew that this film is very very special. It will be one of the landmark films of my career, even if it was the first one. After almost a decade, if you’re still being appreciated and awarded for that film, you know that feeling was correct”.