The prestigious 49th Kerala Film Critics Awards have been unveiled, honoring the finest achievements in Malayalam cinema from the past year. The ceremony, a key event in the state’s cinematic calendar, celebrated a diverse array of films and talent, from legendary veterans to exciting new voices.
The winners were selected by a jury panel, led by Kerala Film Critics Association president George Onakoor and general secretary Thekkinkad Joseph, following a rigorous evaluation of over 60 submitted feature films.
Top Honors: Best Film and Director
The highest accolade for Best Film was awarded to the thought-provoking drama Eko, directed by Dinjith Ayyathan. The award for Best Director was presented to Dominic Arun for his visionary work on the ambitious project Lokah: Chapter 1 Chandra. The critically acclaimed Rekhachithram, directed by Joffin T Chacko and produced by Venu Kunnappally, was named the Second Best Film.
Acting Excellence: Lead Performances
In a testament to his enduring legacy, megastar Mohanlal was named Best Actor for his powerful performances in Thudarum and Hridayapoorvam. The Best Actress award was a tie, shared by Kalyani Priyadarshan for her role in Lokah: Chapter 1 Chandra and the prolific Anaswara Rajan for her work in Rekhachithram and Mr & Mrs Bachelor.
Recognizing Supporting Roles and Special Jury Mentions
The awards for supporting performances were given to Prakash Varma (Thudarum) and Dileesh Pothen (Ronth) for Best Supporting Actor, and Honey Rose (Rachel) and Shuba Wayanad (Shanti: The Reflection of Truth) for Best Supporting Actress.
Special Jury Awards for acting were bestowed upon Dr Manoj Govindan (Periyon), Sangeeth Pratap (Hridayapoorvam), Sandeep Pradeep (Eko), Twinkle Joby (A Pregnant Widow), and Meenakshi (Private). Dharmik Sudhakaran (Pachatheyyam) and Devananda Jibin (Kalyana Maram) were honored as Best Child Artists.
Lifetime Achievements and Technical Prowess
Veteran musician and playback singer MG Sreekumar was honored with the Chalachitra Ratnam award for his immense contribution to the industry. Filmmaker Priyadarshan is set to receive the Critics Ruby Jubilee Award.
The technical categories saw composer Jakes Bejoy win Best Music Director for his scores in Lokah: Chapter 1 Chandra and Narivetta. Other technical winners included:
- Best Cinematographer: Muhammad A (Thantaperu)
- Best Editor: Praveen Prabhakar (Kalamkaval)
- Best Art Direction: Sunil Lavanya (Jagala)
- Best Sound Mixing: MR Rajakrishnan (Empuran)
Films with a Purpose: Social and Thematic Awards
The awards also highlighted films tackling important themes. Key winners included:
- Best Popular Film: Sarvam Maya
- Best Children’s Film: Daivathankunnu and Pachatheyyam
- Best Film on National Integration: Khidki Ghav
- Best Environmental Film: Kalyana Maram and Bhoothalam
- Best Biblical Film: Moonam Nombaram
Spotlight on New Talent
The ceremony celebrated emerging talent, with Riya Shibu (Sarvam Maya) winning Best New Actor. A group of five filmmakers, including Jithin K Jose (Kalamkaval) and Sharan Venugopal (Narayaneente Moonanmakkal), were jointly awarded Best New Director.
