Actress-producer Niharika Konidela has voiced her disappointment after attending the Filmfare Awards South held in Kochi, saying debut winners were not given an opportunity to speak on stage.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Niharika described the evening as a grand celebration of cinematic brilliance but admitted she felt a “missed opportunity” during the ceremony. According to her, debut winners from Telugu, Tamil and Kannada cinema were not allowed to address the audience — a moment she believes is deeply significant for newcomers.
“Celebrating the brilliance of Indian cinema at the Filmfare awards is always a highlight and seeing such incredible talent under one roof was truly special,” she wrote, before adding that something about the event left her unsettled.
She emphasised that for artists at the beginning of their journey, standing on that stage is more than a formal appearance. “For an artist at the very beginning of their journey, that stage isn’t just a platform, it’s their dream materialising. Hearing their voices would have reminded us all why we fell in love with cinema in the first place,” she said.
Acknowledging the scale of the awards night, she noted that time constraints are understandable but argued that newcomers deserve at least a brief moment. “Time constraints are inevitable in a show of this scale, but that one minute shouldn’t be taken away from someone standing on that stage for the first time. Because for them, that one minute may last a lifetime,” she added.
The awards night saw major wins for films like Pushpa 2: The Rule, Amaran, Aadujeevitham and Bramayugam, which dominated across categories.
Niharika, daughter of Nagendra Babu and niece of megastar Chiranjeevi, has carved her own space in the industry as an actor and producer. Over the years, she has appeared in films such as Oka Manasu, Suryakantham and Happy Wedding, while also hosting popular television shows.
Her remarks have since sparked conversation online about whether award ceremonies should prioritise giving first-time winners a voice on stage.