Nandi Award for Best First Film of a Director
The Nandi Award for Best Debut Director winners since 1986:
| Year | Director | Film | Ref |
| 2016 | Kalyan Krishna Kurasala | Soggade Chinni Nayana | |
| 2015 | Nag Ashwin | Yevade Subramanyam | |
| 2014 | Chandoo Mondeti | Karthikeya | |
| 2013 | Koratala Siva | Mirchi | |
| 2012 | Ayodhya Kumar | Minugurulu | |
| 2011 | Bhanu Prakash | Prayogam | |
| 2010 | Nandini Reddy | Ala Modalaindi | |
| 2009 | Suman Pathuri | Inkosaari | |
| 2008 | Sai Kiran Adivi | Vinayakudu | |
| 2007 | Ravi Tenali | Muhurtham | |
| 2006 | Bhaskar | Bommarillu | |
| 2005 | Surender Reddy | Athanokkade | |
| 2004 | Indraganti Mohan Krishna | Grahanam | |
| 2003 | Rasool Ellore | Okariki Okaru | |
| 2002 | V. V. Vinayak | Aadi | |
| 2001 | K. N. T. Sastry | Thiladanam | |
| 2000 | G. Ramprasad | Chiru Navvutho | |
| 1999 | Srinu Vaitla | Nee Kosam | |
| 1998 | A. Karunakaran | Tholi Prema | |
| 1997 | Veeru K | Aaro Pranam | |
| 1996 | |||
| 1995 | Krishna Vamsi | Gulabi | |
| 1994 | |||
| 1993 | N. Shiva Nageswara Rao | Money | |
| 1992 | Gunasekhar | Laati | |
| 1991 | K. Srirama Chandra Murthry | Manjeera Nadam | |
| 1990 | Alladi Sreedhar | Komaram Bheemu | |
| 1989 | Ram Gopal Varma | Siva | |
| 1988 | M. V. Raghu | Kallu | |
| 1987 | Geetha Krishna | Sankeerthana | |
| 1986 | B. Gopal | Prathidvani |