At the 54th edition of the Kerala State Film Awards, the landscape of Malayalam cinema shifted dramatically as ‘Aadujeevitham’ and ‘Kaathal – The Core’ emerged as the most celebrated films of the year. Winning multiple accolades, these films showcased the depth and diversity of contemporary Malayalam cinema, highlighting stories of human endurance and social issues that resonate deeply with audiences.
‘Aadujeevitham’, based on the real-life ordeal of a migrant worker striving to survive in the harsh deserts of the Middle East, became the cynosure of the awards night. The film, directed by Blessy, not only captivated the jury but also won over the hearts of audiences, capturing nine prestigious awards. Among these, Blessy took home the award for Best Director, while Prithviraj Sukumaran’s poignant portrayal of the protagonist earned him the Best Actor title. The film also scooped up awards for Best Popular Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Makeup, and Best Processing Lab/Colourist, showing its all-rounded excellence in various facets of filmmaking.
Equally noteworthy was ‘Kaathal – The Core’, directed by Jeo Baby, which brought forth a nuanced narrative about homosexuality—a theme that still faces societal taboos. The film was lauded not only as the Best Film but also for its compelling storytelling, winning the award for Best Story. This recognition signifies a step forward in the acceptance and portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues in Indian cinema.
The acting accolades were split between two exceptional performers. Urvashi delivered a heart-wrenching performance in ‘Ullozhukku’, portraying a mother grappling with her son’s untimely death. Her nuanced acting earned her the Best Actress award. She shared this honour with Beena R. Chandran, who starred in ‘Thadavu’, a film that follows a woman’s resilience through a series of misfortunes. Both actresses exemplified the emotional depths and complexities required for their challenging roles.
The debutant director category saw Fazil Razak winning for ‘Thadavu’, marking him as a talent to watch out for in the years to come. This film added another feather to its cap as K.R. Gokul won the Special Jury Award for his acting, sharing the limelight with Sudhi Kozhikode in ‘Kaithal’ and Krishnan in ‘Jaivam’.
‘Iratta’, directed by Rohith M.G. Krishnan, also made a significant impact by winning the Best Second Film award and the Best Original Screenplay award. His riveting depiction of two twins leading drastically different lives struck a chord with both critics and audiences alike.
Other notable winners included Jayadevan Chakkadath and Anil Radhakrishnan for Best Sound Design for ‘Ullozhukku’, and Andrew D Cruz and Vishak Babu who clinched the Best Visual Effects award for ‘2018’. Sangeeth Prathap took home the Best Editing award for ‘Little Miss Rawther’.
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Musical excellence was also celebrated with Justine Varghese winning the Best Music Award for ‘Chaaver’ and Mathews Pulickan earning the Best Background Music award for his work in ‘Kaathal – The Core’. Venerable music director Vidyadharan Master was honoured as the Best Playback Singer for the poignant song ‘Pathiranennorthoru Kanavil’ from ‘Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu’, while Ann Amie received the Best Playback Singer (Female) award for ‘Thinkalppoovin Ithalival’ from ‘Pachuvum Albuthavilakkum’.
A significant feature of this year’s awards was the recognition of women and transgender people. Shalini Ushadevi, the director of ‘Ennennum’, won the Special Jury Award for her contributions, underscoring the inclusive nature of the awards.
The awards were overseen by a jury led by eminent filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, accompanied by members including Alagappan N, Lijo Jose Pellissery, Sreevalsan J Menon, Priyanandan TR, C Ajoy, NS Madhavan, and Ann Augustine. An unprecedented 160 films were submitted, indicating a vibrant and competitive year. From this pool, 35 films were shortlisted, with the final jury recalling three additional films that had been previously excluded.
A large proportion of the final submissions were from debut filmmakers, highlighting the influx of fresh talent into the industry. However, despite four entries in the children’s film category, no awards were given as none met the required standards. The announcement of winners was presided over by the Minister for Cultural Affairs, Saji Cherian, alongside the jury members.
The complete list of winners is as follows:
Best Film – ‘Kaathal: The Core’ (Director: Jeo Baby)
Best Actor (Male) – Prithviraj Sukumaran (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Best Actor (Female) – Urvashi (‘Ullozhukku’), Beena R. Chandran (‘Thadavu’)
Best Director – Blessy (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Second Best Film – ‘Iratta’ (Director: Rohith M.G.Krishnan)
Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value – ‘Aadujeevitham’ (Director: Blessy)
Best Character Actor (Male) – Vijayaraghavan (‘Pookkalam’)
Best Character Actor (Female) – Sreeshma Chandran (‘Pombalai Orumai’)
Best Debut Director – Fazil Razak (‘Thadavu’)
Best Story – Adarsh Sukumaran (‘Kaathal: The Core’)
Best Composer – Justin Varghese (‘Chaaver’)
Best Background Music – Mathews Pulickan (‘Kaathal: The Core’)
Best Playback Singer (Male) – Vidyadharan Master (”Pathiranennorthoru Kanavil” from ‘Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu’)
Best Playback Singer (Female) – Ann Amie (”Thinkalppoovin Ithalival” from ‘Pachuvum Athbhutha Vilakkum’)
Best Lyrics – Hareesh Mohanan (”Chenthamara Poovin” from ‘Chaaver’)
Best Editor – Sangeeth Prathap (‘Little Miss Rawther’)
Best Screenplay (Original) – Rohith M.G.Krishnan (‘Iratta’)
Best Screenplay (Adapted) – Blessy (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Best Cinematography – K.S Sunil (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Best Children’s Film – No entry worthy of award
Best Child Actor (Male) – Avyukth Menon (‘Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum’)
Best Child Actor (Female) – Thennal Abhilash (‘Shesham Mikeil Fathima’)
Best Art Direction – Mohandas (‘2018’)
Best Sync Sound – Shameer Ahmed (‘O.Baby’)
Best Sound Mixing – Resul Pookkutty and Sarath Mohan (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Best Sound Designing – Jayadevan Chakkadath and Anil Radhakrishnan (‘Ullozhukku’)
Best Dubbing Artiste (Male) – Roshan Mathew (‘Ullozhukku’ for the character Rajeev, ‘Valatty’ for Tomy, the dog)
Best Dubbing Artiste (Female) – Sumangala (‘Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu’ for Gouri Teacher)
Best Choreography – Jishnu (‘Sulaikha Manzil’)
Best Makeup – Ranjith Ambady (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Best Costume – Femina Jabbar (‘O Baby’)
Best VFX – Anrew D Cruz, Vishakh Babu (‘2018’)
Best Processing Lab/Colourist – Vaisakh Siva Ganesh (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Special award for transpersons or women – Shalini Usha Devi (‘Ennennum’)
Jury Mention (Film) – ‘Gaganachari’ (Director – Arun Chandu)
Jury Mention (Actor) – Krishnan (‘Jaivam’), K.R. Gokul (‘Aadujeevitham’), Sudhi Kozhikode (‘Kaathal: The Core’)
Best Book on Cinema – ‘Mazhavil Kanniloode Malayala Cinema’ by Kishore Kumar
Special Jury Award for Book on Cinema – ‘Kaamanakalude Samskarika Sandarbhangal’ by P. Premachandran
Best Article on Cinema – ‘Desheeyathaye Azhichedukkunna Cinemakal’ by M.R. Rajesh
Special Jury Award for Article of Cinema – ‘Film Society Prasthanam Keralathil: Charithravum Rashtreeyavum’ by K.R. Anoop
