The 54th Kerala State Film Awards showcased the unparalleled talent and diverse narratives thriving in the Malayalam film industry, with ‘Aadujeevitham’ and ‘Kaathal – The Core’ taking home the top accolades. Exploring themes ranging from human resilience to sensitive portrayals of homosexuality, this year’s awards highlighted the breadth of storytelling in Malayalam cinema.
‘Aadujeevitham,’ a poignant tale based on the real-life odyssey of survival and fortitude, emerged as a big winner, snagging nine awards. Under the direction of Blessy, the film received the honor of Best Popular Film. The adept Prithviraj Sukumaran, who brought the central character’s struggle to life, was awarded Best Actor. The film’s screenplay, adapted by Blessy from the novel of the same name, garnered him another award for Best Adapted Screenplay. K.S. Sunil was honored with Best Cinematography for his striking visuals, and the film also secured accolades for Best Sound Mixing (Resul Pookutty and Sarath Mohan), Best Makeup Artist (Ranjith Ambady), and Best Lab/Colourist (Vaishal Shiva Ganesh). Additionally, K.R. Gokul received a Special Jury Award for his compelling performance.
Jeo Baby’s ‘Kaathal – The Core,’ a bold film delving into the intricacies of homosexuality, triumphed as the Best Film and Best Story. The nuanced storytelling and compassionate approach to the subject matter resonated deeply with the jury and audience alike.
In the acting categories, Urvashi and Beena R. Chandran shared the Best Actress award. Urvashi’s subtle and heart-wrenching portrayal of a grieving mother in ‘Ullozhukku’ won high praise, while Beena R. Chandran was recognized for her powerful performance in ‘Thadavu,’ a film about a woman’s series of misfortunes. Fazil Razak, the director behind ‘Thadavu,’ also received the Best Debut Director award, marking his significant entry into the Malayalam film landscape.
‘Ullozhukku’ came into the spotlight once again with Jayadevan Chakkadath and Anil Radhakrishnan winning the Best Sound Design award. The film was critically acclaimed for its technical excellence.
‘Iratta,’ directed by Rohith M.G. Krishnan, was the recipient of the Second Best Film award. Rohith also won for Best Original Screenplay, lauding his meticulous narrative of divergent twin lives.
. Additionally, the film’s emotive storytelling secured it a respectable position among this year’s contenders. Meanwhile, Jayadevan Chakkadath and Anil Radhakrishnan were again acknowledged for their work on ‘Ullozhukku,’ contributing their expertise in sound design.
‘2018,’ Jude Anthany Joseph’s visually stunning film, won awards for Best Visual Effects for Andrew D Cruz and Vishak Babu and Best Art Direction for Mohandas, underscoring the technical brilliance brought to the screen.
The Best Music Award went to Justin Varghese for ‘Chaaver,’ while Mathews Pulickan’s evocative score for ‘Kaathal – The Core’ garnered the Best Background Music award. Established music director Vidhyadharan Master won Best Playback Singer (Male) for his song ‘Pathiranennorthoru Kanavil’ from ‘Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu,’ while Ann Amie received the Best Playback Singer (Female) award for ‘Thinkalppoovin Ithalival’ from ‘Pachuvum Albuthavilakkum.’
The Special Jury Awards recognized the exceptional talents of Sudhi Kozhikode for his performance in ‘Kaithal,’ and Krishnan for ‘Jaivam.’ In acknowledgment of underrepresented voices, Shalini Ushadevi, director of ‘Ennennum,’ received the Special Jury Award for women/transgender people.
The jury, led by filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, faced the mammoth task of selecting winners from 160 submitted films, the highest number ever in the history of this prestigious event. The initial shortlist featured 35 films, with three more added upon further deliberation. In a testament to emerging talent, 22 of the final 38 films were created by debutant directors. Despite several entries in the children’s film category, no award was given, as none met the jury’s criteria.
Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian announced the awards in the presence of the jury members, acknowledging the wealth of cinematic talent showcased this year. The full list of winners reflects the dynamic range of creativity and technical prowess within the Malayalam film industry.
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’ (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 (‘Chaver’)
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 Ithalaval’ from ‘Pachuvum Albuthavilakkum’)
Best Lyrics: Hareesh Mohanan (‘Chenthamara Poovin’ from ‘Chaver’)
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 Albuthavilakkum’)
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 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: Andrew D Cruz, Vishakh Babu (‘2018’)
Best Processing Lab/Colourist: Vaisakh Siva Ganesh (‘Aadujeevitham’)
Special award for transpersons or women for any category: 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’)
The Kerala State Film Awards continue to spotlight the rich, varied tapestry of talent in the industry, as they inspire and captivate audiences with each passing year.
