The South Indian Film Awards and South Indian OTT Awards 2025 Curtain Raiser event was held with grandeur on Saturday evening at the Film Nagar Cultural Centre, Hyderabad. Senior actors Murali Mohan, producer KS Ramarao, Film Nagar Housing Society Secretary Kaja Suryanarayana, producer Edida Raja, Ram Satyanarayana, sponsors Surya Cem Directors Anil and Dr. Suresh Babu, and V.V.K. Housing India Pvt. Ltd Chairman Vallaruru Vijaykumar were among the distinguished guests who graced the occasion. The event was co-sponsored by Sri Vijay Varahi Movies and had Aditya Music as the music partner.
During the event, the guests unveiled the Santosham South Indian Film Awards and Santosham South Indian OTT Awards 2025 function date poster.
Film Nagar Housing Society Secretary Kaja Suryanarayana shared, "I have a long-standing friendship with Suresh Kondeti. He rented our house and lived with his family while setting up the Santosham Magazine office on another floor. For the past 24 years, he has been successfully running the film magazine. He is a friend to everyone and always smiles. Whenever there is a major event to be held in Hyderabad, Suresh is the go-to person. I wish him all the success for the Santosham South Indian Film Awards and Santosham OTT Awards 2025."
Producer Edida Raja expressed: Suresh Kondeti is a friend to all. As other guests have mentioned, he is very friendly and works well with everyone. His events are like one-man shows. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing how well he will execute this year’s event. I wish him all the best.
Producer KS Ramarao shared: While it takes governments years to organize a single event, Suresh Kondeti, as an individual, has been successfully organizing the Santosham Awards for 24 years. When he faced challenges in the film industry, the media supported him. I appointed him as the Additional Chairman of the FNCC Cultural Committee to encourage him during those times. Suresh never complained, always stayed positive, and kept working. I wish him great success for the 24th edition of the Santosham Awards.
Senior actor Murali Mohan shared: Santosham is the only magazine that has been organizing awards events for 24 years. No other magazine has managed such a long legacy of award functions, even those backed by major media organizations. Even big media houses have failed in their attempts. Suresh has worked hard, and I am confident the 24th edition will be a grand success. I have seen challenges come and go, but Suresh continues to rise above them.
V.V.K. Housing India Pvt. Ltd. Chairman Vallaruru Vijaykumar said: It’s a pleasure to be sponsoring the Santosham South Indian Film Awards and Santosham OTT Awards 2025. Over the years, I have been a part of many functions, but the satisfaction I get from sponsoring the Santosham Awards is unparalleled. Every winner feels an immense sense of achievement. I thank Suresh Kondeti for his efforts, and I hope this year’s event will be the grandest yet.
Surya Cem Director Anil remarked: It’s not easy to keep a project going for so many years with consistency. Suresh Kondeti has been organizing the Santosham Awards for 24 years, which is a remarkable achievement. I wish him all the best for this year’s event.
Surya Cem Director Dr. Suresh Babu added: We used to buy Santosham Magazine sneakily when we were in hostel, and now we are proud to be sponsors of the Santosham Awards. Thanks to Suresh for this opportunity.
Santosham Magazine Founder Suresh Kondeti expressed his gratitude, saying, I thank all the senior guests present at today's Santosham Awards Curtain Raiser event. I’ve been a journalist for 35 years, distributed over 85 films, produced 16 films, and worked as a PRO for over 600 films. I’ve handled films for stars like Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, and Rajinikanth. Chiranjeevi and Nagarjuna are like my two eyes. In 2002, at the first Santosham Awards, Nagarjuna suggested that we make Santosham Awards as prestigious as Filmfare Awards. Since then, I have worked towards this goal, and now, 24 years later, I am so proud of how far we’ve come. With the support of everyone, we have managed to achieve this long journey. In 2007, we conducted a grand event at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with over 40,000 attendees. Stars like Mahesh Babu flew to Sharjah with us on Emirates flights. However, there were a few small issues during the recent Goa event, and some people tried to make a controversy out of it. But I don’t hold any grudges against anyone. I believe those who cannot tolerate my growth consider me their enemy. I have never written anything wrong about anyone in my magazine, and I believe I have never done any wrong in the film industry. Award functions can be tough, but with persistence, we have made it this far. I want to thank all my sponsors, supporters, and everyone who helped make the Goa event happen despite the minor mistakes. Your continued support will ensure that this year’s Santosham Awards is even bigger and better.