Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu

Superlatives

• K. Viswanath has the record of winning most awards eight and winning the award twice in a row, on three separate occasions. Both K. Raghavendra Rao and S. S. Rajamouli have received the award for four times which is the second most.
• Nandini Reddy and Sripriya were the only two female directors to have been nominated for their films Ala Modalaindi in 2011 and Drushyam in 2014 respectively.
• Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi remains the only Director to have won the award for his first two films, Gamyam and Vedam.
• Sukumar and Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi are the two directors who have received the award for their first film.
• K. Viswanath has most nominations with 16, followed by K. Raghavendra Rao with 13.

  Winners

Nominations

1970s

• 1972: Kadri Venkata Reddy - Sri Krishna Satya
• 1973: Tatineni Rama Rao - Jeevana Tarangalu
• 1974: K. Viswanath - O Seeta Katha
• * V. Ramachandra Rao - Alluri Seetarama Raju
• * V. Madhusudhan Rao - Krishnaveni
• 1975: K. Viswanath - Jeevana Jyothi
• * Dasari Narayana Rao - Swargam Narakam
• * Ramana and Bapu - Mutyala Muggu
• 1976: Bapu - Seetha Kalyanam
• * Adurthi Subba Rao and C. S. Rao - Mahakavi Kshetrayya
• * B. S. Narayana - Oorummadi Brathukulu
• * K. Balachander - Anthuleni Katha
• * Kovelamudi Bapayya - Soggadu
• 1977: K. Raghavendra Rao - Prema Lekhalu
• * Eeranki Sharma - Chilakamma Cheppindi
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Adavi Ramudu
• * N. T. Rama Rao - Daana Veera Soora Karna
• * Singeetham Srinivas Rao - Panthulamma
• 1978: K. Balachander - Maro Charitra
• * A. Bhimsingh - Karunamayudu
• * Bapu - Manavoori Pandavulu
• * Devadas Kanakala - Chali Cheemalu
• * Eeranki Sharma - Naalaaga Endaro
• 1979: Dasari Narayana Rao - Gorintaku
• * K. Balachander - Guppedu Manasu
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Vetagaadu
• * Lakshmi Deepak - Karthika Deepam
• * Rajkumar- Punadhirallu

  1980s

• 1980: Bapu - Vamsa Vruksham
• * Tatineni Rama Rao - Aatagadu
• * K. Viswanath - Sankarabharanam
• * Singeetham Srinivas Rao - Pilla Zamindar
• * B. Narsing Rao - Maa Bhoomi
• 1981: Dasari Narayana Rao - Premabhishekam
• * A. Kodandarami Reddy - Nyayam Kavali
• * Jandhyala - Mudda Mandaram
• * K. Viswanath - Saptapadi
• * P. Bharathiraja - Seethakoka Chiluka
• 1982: K. Viswanath - Subhalekha
• * Dasari Narayana Rao - Meghasandesam
• * Balu Mahendra - Nireekshana
• * Mouli - Patnam Vachina Pativrathalu
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Devata
• 1983: K. Viswanath - Sagara Sangamam
• * A. Kodandarami Reddy - Khaidi
• * B. Narsing Rao - Rangula Kala
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Adavi Simhalu
• * T. Krishna - Neti Bharatam
• 1984: Jandhyala - Srivariki Premalekha
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Bobbili Brahmanna
• * Kranthi Kumar - Swathi
• * Vamsy - Sitaara
• * Singeetham Srinivas Rao - Vasantha Geetam
• 1985: Singeetham Srinivas Rao - Mayuri
• * Kranthi Kumar - Sravanthi
• * V. B. Rajendra Prasad - Bharyabhartala Bandham
• * T. Krishna - Pratighatana
• * Vamsy - Anveshana
• 1986: K. Viswanath - Swati Mutyam
• * Jandhyala - Chantabbai
• * K. Viswanath - Sirivennela
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Kaliyuga Pandavulu
• * T. Krishna - Repati Pourulu
• 1987: K. Viswanath - Sruthilayalu
• * Jandhyala - Padamati Sandhya Ragam
• * K. Viswanath - Swayamkrushi
• * A. Kodandarami Reddy - Pasivadi Pranam
• * Dasari Narayana Rao - Aatma Bandhuvulu
• 1988: M. V. Raghu - Kallu
• * K. Balachander - Rudraveena
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Aakhari Poratam
• * K. Viswanath - Swarnakamalam
• * B. Narsing Rao - Daasi
• 1989: Mani Ratnam - Geethanjali
• * K. Viswanath - Sutradharulu
• * A. Kodandarami Reddy - Attaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu
• * Ram Gopal Varma - Siva
• * Suresh Krissna - Prema

  1990s

• 1990: K. Raghavendra Rao - Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari
• * Mohan Gandhi - Karthavyam
• * A. Kodandarami Reddy - Kondaveeti Donga
• * B. Gopal - Bobbili Raja
• * B. Narsing Rao - Matti Manushulu
• 1991: Kranthi Kumar - Seetharamaiah Gari Manavaralu
• * Muthyala Subbaiah - Yerra Mandaram
• * Mullapudi Venkata Ramana - Pelli Pustakam
• * Ram Gopal Varma - Kshana Kshanam
• * Singeetham Srinivas Rao - Aditya 369
• 1992: K. Viswanath - Aapathbandavudu
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Gharana Mogudu
• * Ravi Raja Pinisetty - Chanti
• * C. Umamaheswara Rao - Ankuram
• * K. Viswanath - Swathi Kiranam
• 1993: K. Raghavendra Rao - Allari Priyudu
• * K. Ajay Kumar - Matru Devo Bhava
• * Ram Gopal Varma - Gaayam
• * Bapu - Mister Pellam
• * E. V. V. Satyanarayana - Jamba Lakidi Pamba
• 1994: S. V. Krishna Reddy - Subhalagnam
• * E. V. V. Satyanarayana - Aame
• * Muthyala Subbaiah - Anna
• * Dasari Narayana Rao - Bangaru Kutumbam
• * Singeetham Srinivas Rao - Bhairava Dweepam
• 1995: K. Viswanath - Subha Sankalpam
• * Kodi Ramakrishna - Ammoru
• * K. S. Sethumadhavan - Stri
• * Ravi Raja Pinisetty - Pedarayudu
• * Gunasekhar - Sogasu Chuda Taramaa?
• 1996: Krishna Vamsi - Ninne Pelladata
• * K. Raghavendra Rao - Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya
• * Mutyala Subbaiah - Pavitra Bandham
• * Suresh Krissna - Dharma Chakram
• * S. V. Krishna Reddy - Maavichiguru
• 1997: K. Raghavendra Rao - Annamayya
• * Kodi Ramakrishna - Pelli
• * Krishna Vamsi - Sindhooram
• * Jayanth C. Paranjee - Preminchukundam Raa
• * Ram Gopal Varma - Anaganaga Oka Roju
• 1998: Krishna Vamsi - Antahpuram
• * Dasari Narayana Rao - Kante Koothurne Kanu
• * Jayanth C. Paranjee - Premante Idera
• * A. Karunakaran - Tholi Prema
• * Thirupathisamy - Ganesh
• 1999: B. Gopal - Samarasimha Reddy
• * Muppalaneni Shiva - Raja
• * Ram Gopal Varma - Prema Katha
• * P. A. Arun Prasad - Thammudu
• * Srinu Vaitla - Nee Kosam

  2000s

• 2000: K. Vijaya Bhaskar – Nuvve Kavali
• *E. V. V. Satyanarayana - Chala Bagundi
• *Teja - Chitram
• *Uday Shankar - Kalisundam Raa
• 2001: Teja – Nuvvu Nenu
• * B. Gopal – Narasimha Naidu
• * Krishna Vamsi – Murari
• 2002: Krishna Vamsi – Khadgam
• *V. V. Vinayak - Aadi
• *Teja - Jayam
• *Puri Jagannadh - Idiot
• 2003: Gunasekhar – Okkadu
• *S. S. Rajamouli - Simhadri
• *Rasool Ellore - Okariki Okaru
• *YVS Chowdary - Seetayya
• 2004: Sukumar – Arya
• * Sekhar Kammula - Anand
• * S. S. Rajamouli - Sye
• * K. Vijaya Bhaskar - Malliswari
• 2005: Trivikram Srinivas - Athadu
• * Muppalaneni Shiva - Sankranti
• * Prabhu Deva - Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana
• * Puri Jagannath - Super
• * S. S. Rajamouli - Chhatrapati
• 2006: Puri Jagannath - Pokiri
• * Bhaskar - Bommarillu
• * S. S. Rajamouli - Vikramarkudu
• * Shekhar Kammula - Godavari
• 2007: Sekhar Kammula – Happy Days
• *S.S. Rajamouli - Yamadonga
• *Sreenu Vaitla - Dhee
• *Puri Jagannadh - Desamuduru
• *Tulasiram - Mantra
• 2008: Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi - Gamyam
• * Sreenu Vaitla - Ready
• * Ravi Babu - Nachavule
• * Bhaskar - Parugu
• * Trivikram Srinivas - Jalsa
• 2009: S. S. Rajamouli - Magadheera
• * Chaitanya Dantaluri - Banam
• * Kodi Ramakrishna - Arundhati
• * Sukumar - Arya 2
• * Surendra Reddy - Kick

  2010s

• 2010: Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi - Vedam
• * Gautham Menon - Ye Maaya Chesave
• * Boyapati Srinu - Simha
• * Sekhar Kammula - Leader
• * Vamsi Paidipally - Brindavanam
• 2011: Sreenu Vaitla – Dookudu
• * Bapu – Sri Rama Rajyam
• * Nandini Reddy – Ala Modalaindi
• * Dasaradh – Mr. Perfect
• * Sukumar – 100% Love
• 2012: S. S. Rajamouli– Eega
• * Harish Shankar – Gabbar Singh
• * Trivikram Srinivas – Julayi
• * Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi- Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum
• * Puri Jagannadh – Business Man
• 2013: Trivikram Srinivas- Atharintiki Daaredi
• * Koratala Siva - Mirchi
• * Srikanth Addala - Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu
• * Vijaykumar Konda - Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde
• * Virinchi Varma - Uyyala Jampala
• 2014: Vikram Kumar - Manam
• * Chandu Mondeti - Karthikeya
• * Sripriya - Drushyam
• * Sujeeth - Run Raja Run
• * Surendra Reddy - Race Gurram
• 2015: S. S. Rajamouli –
• * Koratala Siva – Srimanthudu
• * Kranthi Madhav – Malli Malli Idi Rani Roju
• * Krish – Kanche
• * Trivikram Srinivas – S/O Satyamurthy
• 2016: Vamsi Paidipally - Oopiri
• * Koratala Siva – Janatha Garage
• * Ravikanth Perepu – Kshanam
• * Sukumar – Nannaku Prematho
• * Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam – Pelli Choopulu
• * Trivikram Srinivas – A Aa
• 2017: S. S. Rajamouli –
• * Krish - Gauthamiputra Satakarni
• * Sandeep Reddy Vanga – Arjun Reddy
• * Sankalp Reddy – Ghazi
• * Satish Vegesna – Sathamanam Bhavati
• * Sekhar Kammula – Fidaa
• 2018: Nag Ashwin – Mahanati
• * Sukumar - Rangasthalam
• * Parasuram – Geetha Govindam
• * Venkatesh Maha – C/o Kancharapalem
• * Indraganti Mohan Krishna – Sammohanam
• * Koratala Siva – Bharat Ane Nenu''