In a competitive atmosphere at the 54th Kerala State Film Awards, both veteran actor Mammootty and rising star Prithviraj emerged victorious in different categories. The announcement was made on Friday by Saji Cherian, Minister for Culture and Films, in Thiruvananthapuram.
Prithviraj secured the Best Actor award for his remarkable performance in the film Goat Life, directed by the acclaimed Blessy. Goat Life dominated the awards, bagging nine honors, including Best Director for Blessy and Best Screenplay Adaptation. The film’s technical brilliance was also recognized, with K.S. Sunil winning Best Cameraman, and Oscar winner Resul Pookutty and Sharath Mohan taking home the award for Best Sound Mixing. Renjith Ampadi was honored as the Best Makeup Artist, and the film was named the Most Popular Film of the year. Additionally, actor Gokul received a special mention from the jury for his contribution to the film.
On the other hand, Mammootty, despite not winning the Best Actor award, celebrated a significant achievement by receiving the Best Film award for *Kathal*. He not only produced the film but also starred in it, showcasing his versatility in the industry.
The Best Actress award was jointly won by seasoned actresses Urvasi for her role in Ullaozhuku and Beena R. Chandran for Thadavu. This year’s awards also featured some unexpected wins, such as popular music director Vidhyadaran Master claiming the Best Male Singer award, while Ann Amy was recognized as the Best Female Singer.
The jury for the 54th Kerala State Film Awards was led by veteran Indian director Sudhir Mishra. Minister Cherian highlighted that this year marked the highest number of entries in the history of the awards, with 160 films contending, including 38 from debut directors. He explained, “The two sub-committees were led by Priyanandan and N. Alagappan, each reviewing 80 films, and 38 films were subsequently evaluated by the main jury.”
Reflecting on his win, Prithviraj expressed both excitement and humility. “This is my third state award, and it stands out as the toughest one. I feel excited and happy as this film came out like this because of a huge team effort. I am most happy as Blessy, the director, got the Best Director award. The award is for the entire team, as this, in 2009, looked only like a dream, and finally, it became a reality. Blessy’s single-minded focus and a very detailed screenplay were the crucial factors. As an actor, I had enough and more material. I feel blessed, and he gave me a lot of freedom. As an actor, it was really challenging as physical transformation—losing weight—is just one aspect, but the biggest challenge was to get into the character. And more so because the film shooting took four years, and maintaining the character for that long is tough, and hence this will be the toughest. I wish I get more such roles,” said Prithviraj.
Blessy, celebrating his third Best Director award out of the eight films he has directed, was overjoyed by the film’s success. “Of course, I am happy, and getting around nine awards is huge. I am most happy for Gokul for the special jury mention, and it’s a great beginning for him. An award is not the biggest challenge, but to reach the audience and how they accept it. The biggest struggle was to visualize the book into a film,” said Blessy.
The event highlighted the diverse talents in the Malayalam film industry, with both veterans and newcomers being recognized for their contributions. The awards ceremony, marked by the presence of notable figures from the industry, celebrated the artistic achievements and hard work of everyone involved in the filmmaking process. The success of Goat Life at the awards reflects its impact not just on critics but also on audiences, while Mammootty’s recognition for Kathal underscores his enduring influence in Malayalam cinema.
The Kerala State Film Awards continue to be a prestigious platform, showcasing the best of Malayalam cinema and honoring those who contribute to its rich legacy. This year’s awards, with their wide-ranging categories and competitive entries, have once again highlighted the vibrant and dynamic nature of the industry.
