IIFA Utsavam: Mahesh Babu's Srimanthudu and SS Rajamouli's Baahubali score big at award night

Superstar Mahesh Babu-starrer Telugu drama Srimanthudu and Kannada thriller Rangitaranga bagged six awards each at the first edition of the IIFA Utsavam, Hyderabad.

The two-day event, backed by Fortune Sunflower Oil, honoured the best talent across Telugu and Kannada film industries on Monday.

Of the 12 award categories, Koratala Siva-directed Srimanthudu fetched its lead pair Mahesh Babu and Shruti Haasan best Leading Role Male and Female awards, respectively.

The other awards the film pocketed include the best Supporting Role Male for actor Jagapathi Babu, best Music Direction for Devi Sri Prasad, best Lyricist for Ramajogayya Sastry and best Playback Singer, Male, for Sagar.

SS Rajamouli's magnum opus Baahubali bagged five awards, including the one for the Best Picture.

The blockbuster film also won the best Direction award for Rajamouli, while Ramya Krishnan pocketed the best Supporting Role Female award.

Rana Daggubati was awarded the best Negative Role for his menacing performance in Baahubali, which also won the best Playback Singer Female, for Satya Yamini.

Actor Vennela Kishore won the best Comic Role award for his performance in last year's blockbuster Bhale Bhale Magadivoy.

In the Kannada film awards category, Rangitaranga won the Best Picture and Anup Bhandari the Best Direction, Music Direction and Lyrics awards.

The film also won the Best Supporting Role Male for Sai Kumar, apart from pocketing awards for Arvind Rao for the Best Negative Role.

Actor Yash-starrer Mr&Mrs Ramachari won four awards. While Yash won the best Leading Role Male, his co-star Radhika Pandit bagged the Best Leading Role Female award.

The film also won awards for Best Comic Role (Sadhu Kokila) and Best Playback Singer Female (Shreya Ghoshal).

Lakshmi Raj won the Best Supporting Role Female award for Krishna Leela, while actor Dhanush won the Best Playback Singer for his song in Vajrakaya.

At the award ceremony, special tributes were paid to late actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao and producer D Ramanaidu.

-- IANS