The Karnataka State Film Awards 1980–81, presented by Government of Karnataka, felicitated the best of Kannada Cinema releases in the year 1980.
Film awards
| Name of Award | Film | Producer | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Best Film | Ranganayaki | B. Thimmanna | S. R. Puttanna Kanagal |
| Second Best Film | Mooru Darigalu | N. S. Devi Prasad | Girish Kasaravalli |
| Third Best Film | Sangeetha | Wheel Productions | Chandrashekhara Kambara |
Other awards
| Name of Award | Film | Awardee(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Best Direction | Ranganayaki | S. R. Puttanna Kanagal |
| Best Actor | Sri Raghavendra Vaibhava | Srinath |
| Best Actress | Ranganayaki | Aarathi |
| Best Supporting Actor | Ranganayaki | Ramakrishna |
| Best Supporting Actress | Sangeetha | Pramila Joshai |
| Best Child Actor | Rama Lakshmana | Master Sathyaprakash |
| Best Music Direction | Sangeetha | Chandrashekhara Kambara |
| Best Cinematography | Template:*Mareyada Haadu Template:*Mooru Darigalu |
Template:*R. N. K. Prasad Template:*S. R. Bhat |
| Best Editing | Mooru Darigalu | Suresh Urs |
| Best Sound Recording | Hanthakana Sanchu | A. Govinda Swamy |
| Best Story Writer | Sangeetha | Chandrashekhara Kambara |
| Best Screenplay | Mooru Darigalu | Girish Kasaravalli |
| Best Dialogue Writer | Sangeetha | Chandrashekhara Kambara |