Rana Daggubati, Deeksha kick-start 59th South Filmfare Awards

The Idea Filmfare Awards are here again! Taking the legacy forward, the pioneers of Indian film awards announced the 59th Idea South Filmfare Awards 2011 to be held at Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Chennai on July 7th, 2012. Rana Daggubati and Deeksha Seth along with Mr Tarun Rai, Chief Executive Officer, Worldwide Media and Mr Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular lit the lamp at a press conference at The Park Hotel, Hyderabad.

Filmfare has always honoured the spirit of excellence in cinema and over the years, the Filmfare trophy has occupied a place of pride in star homes. Over 2,500 Black Ladies have been awarded till date. The musical maestro, Mr AR Rahman was the recipient of the 2500th Black Lady at the 57th Idea Filmfare Awards (Hindi), held in January this year.

The 59th Idea South Filmfare Awards 2011 celebrates the sparkling talent in the Southern film industry and also brings unparalleled entertainment to the audience. From celebrities walking the red carpet in their gorgeous attire, thrilling stage performances to the suspense winners of the evening, it promises to be an exhilarating evening.

This year too, South Indian audiences were invited to vote for their favourites across 10 categories each, in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films. Nominees will be selected through the public voting process that Filmfare is known for.

Mr Tarun Rai said, "The size and stature of the South Indian film industry never ceases to amaze me. This year, 451 films, across four states, are competing for the coveted Black Lady! It is four times the number of movies that were made in Hindi. The talent in the South is immense and, we at Filmfare are proud that over the last six decades we have celebrated and facilitated this talent."

Mr Sashi Shankar said, "This is our fourth year of association with the South Filmfare Awards, a partnership that has strengthened our wide reach across the region and one of the many initiatives that has made Idea Cellular one of the most recognised brand in the country. Idea is trusted by millions for their ability to transform their lives through its wide spectrum of products, services and path breaking campaigns. Idea's association with such premium programs enables it to offer rich content to its subscribers, making it the highest VAS revenue grosser in the industry."

The South Filmfare Awards were held at the prestigious Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai. Eventually it shifted to the distinctive Music Academy. Initially, only Tamil and Telugu films were considered for the awards and later, Malayalam & Kannada films became part of the event in 1966 & 1969, respectively. The spirit of the awards lies in its popularity not just amongst the masses but also the film fraternity. It is the ultimate recognition of talent.

Filmfare is proud of its six decade association with the South Indian film industry which continues to raise the bar with its creative, thrilling and exhilarating productions.