The presentation of the 55th Kerala State Film Awards at Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday turned into a celebration of Malayalam cinema’s past, present, and future, bringing together artists from different generations. The awards honoured the best films and performances of 2024, a year in which Malayalam cinema expanded into new creative territories.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented the awards to the winners. Veteran actor Sarada was conferred the prestigious J.C. Daniel Award for 2024 in recognition of her lifetime contribution to cinema. Accepting the honour, Sarada said she was overwhelmed with emotion and credited the audience for her journey. Responding to comments about her identity, she said she was “half-Malayali and half-Telugu,” noting that her mother’s family hails from Kozhikode.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Vijayan said the significance of the State Film Awards has grown at a time when Malayalam cinema is receiving national and international recognition for both its content and cinematic treatment. He also spoke about the contributions of Sarada and Mammootty, whose Padma Bhushan award was announced shortly before the film award ceremony.
The evening belonged to Manjummel Boys, the survival drama directed by Chidambaram and based on a real-life incident. The film emerged as the biggest winner, bagging eight awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
Jury chairperson Prakash Raj said he was thrilled to be part of the jury, having grown up watching Malayalam films of exceptional quality. He noted that nearly 30% of the 128 films submitted were quality productions, highlighting the industry’s continued focus on strong content rather than big budgets. He praised the emergence of young actors and technicians and expressed hope that the awards would encourage them to push creative boundaries. He also reiterated his concern about the lack of quality children’s films, a comment that had sparked debate following the award announcements.
Actor Mammootty said the strength of Malayalam cinema lies in its receptive audience, which has consistently supported a wide range of films. He specially praised Feminichi Fathima, which won Best Debut Director for Fasil Muhammed and Best Actor (Female) for Shamla Hamza, noting that its nuanced portrayal of patriarchy was possible only in Malayalam cinema.
Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian, State Chalachitra Academy Chairperson Resul Pookkutty, and other officials also addressed the gathering.
