Hindustan Times OTTplay Awards 2025: Pradeep Maddali Wins Best Director for ‘Vikkatakavi’
The Hindustan Times OTTplay Awards 2025, held in Mumbai on March 22, 2025, once again celebrated the finest in Indian digital entertainment. Themed "One Nation, One Award," the third edition of this prestigious event brought together the biggest names from various film industries, recognizing excellence in performance, direction, and technical brilliance. Hosted by Aparshakti Khurana and Kubra Sait, the starstudded night honored outstanding contributions to the everevolving world of OTT content.
Among the evening’s biggest winners was Pradeep Maddali, who took home the Best Director (Web Series) award for his Telugu thriller ‘Vikkatakavi’, streaming on ZEE5 and OTTplay Premium. Maddali shared the honor with Nikkhil Advani, underscoring the platform’s commitment to recognizing both established and emerging filmmakers.
‘Vikkatakavi’ A Groundbreaking Telugu Thriller
Set in the 1970s in the fictional village of Amaragiri, Vikkatakavi unravels a gripping mystery surrounding a memoryrobbing plague. The series follows Detective Rama Krishna, played by Naresh Agastya, as he investigates the epidemic’s origins. Praised for its atmospheric storytelling, intricate period details, and stunning cinematography by Shoaib, the show has been a breakthrough for regional OTT content.
Shot extensively at Ramoji Film City and Hyderabad’s Aluminium Factory, the series seamlessly blends practical sets with CGenhanced visuals, transporting audiences to a bygone era. Vikkatakavi also made history as the first Telugu web series to be screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, further cementing its artistic and technical excellence.
An engineerturnedfilmmaker, Pradeep Maddali has steadily built a reputation in the OTT space with projects like 47 Days and Sarvam Shakthi Mayam. However, Vikkatakavi marks a significant milestone in his career, earning him widespread acclaim. In his emotional acceptance speech, Maddali expressed gratitude to the Hindustan Times OTTplay Awards, his parents, and his team, acknowledging the weight of responsibility that comes with such recognition.
The awards also celebrated regional storytelling, with creators like Maddali pushing creative boundaries. Other major winners of the night included Manoj Bajpayee (Best Actor – Male, Popular) for ‘Despatch’, Priyamani (Best Actor in a Comedy) for ‘Bhama Kalapam 2’, and Rana Daggubati (Best Talk Show Host) for ‘The Rana Daggubati Show’. The event also generated excitement for upcoming releases, particularly ‘The Family Man Season 3’, with Manoj Bajpayee and Priyamani in attendance.
As Avinash Mudaliar, Cofounder and CEO of OTTplay, emphasized, the awards aim to honor content across all Indian languages on an equal platform. With Vikkatakavi’s success and whispers of a second season, Pradeep Maddali’s win signals a bright future for Telugu web series on the national and global stage.
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