Yay! It’s That Time of the Year! Filmfare is here

The 70th Filmfare South Awards, held on February 21-22, 2026, at the Adlux Convention Centre in Kochi, turned into a glittering celebration of South Indian cinema, bringing together leading stars from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada industries to honour the best films of 2024.

The ceremony was attended by a star-studded guest list including Allu Arjun , Chiranjeevi , Sai Pallavi , Mammootty , Mohanlal , Sivakarthikeyan , Vijay Sethupathi , Rashmika Mandanna , and veteran star Amitabh Bachchan , whose presence highlighted the pan-Indian stature of the event.

The biggest winners of the night were Pushpa 2: The Rule , Amaran , and Aadujeevitham , which dominated their respective language categories. Pushpa 2 swept the Telugu awards, winning Best Film and Best Actor for Allu Arjun, while Amaran received top honours in Tamil cinema and Aadujeevitham led the Malayalam segment with major wins for its literary adaptation and technical brilliance.

Kannada cinema was also recognised, with films such as Shakhahaari winning awards for originality and genre experimentation.

A major talking point of the evening was the reported tension between Allu Arjun and his uncle, megastar Chiranjeevi . According to industry sources, the two stars were scheduled to appear on stage during a tribute segment but were not seen interacting publicly, fuelling speculation of a professional rift following recent industry disagreements and contrasting political stances. While neither actor addressed the issue directly, their separate appearances and lack of on-stage exchange became one of the most discussed moments on social media during the ceremony.

Another highlight was Amitabh Bachchan winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in Kalki 2898 AD , marking a rare crossover honour at the Filmfare South Awards and reinforcing the growing pan-Indian nature of contemporary cinema.

Beyond the awards, the ceremony featured glamorous red carpet moments, live performances and tributes to veteran filmmakers and technicians. Kerala’s hosting of the event also showcased the state’s cultural heritage and its emergence as a destination for major film and cultural events.

The 70th Filmfare South Awards reflected the expanding influence of South Indian cinema, blending blockbuster success with content-driven storytelling, while also drawing attention to evolving dynamics within the industry’s biggest families and stars.