As the screenings for the Kerala State Film Awards are progressing, seniors and young artists are vying for the coveted trophies. It is reported that a bunch of newcomers are giving the experienced artists a run for their money in significant categories like best film, director, actor, actress and music composer. There are unconfirmed reports that the jury may announce a few unexpected awards in order to acknowledge the amazing flow of incredible talent in the last year, in Malayalam cinema.
The movie enthusiasts are eagerly waiting to know the winner of the best actor award. Those in the race are: Fahadh Faasil (Njan Prakashan, Carbon, Varathan), Jayasurya (Captain, Njan Marykutty), Joju George (Joseph), Mohanlal (Odiyan, Kayamkulam Kochunni), Dileep (Kammarasambavam), Suraj Venjaramoodu (Kuttanpillaiyude Sivarathri), Nivin Pauly (Kayamkulam Kochunni) and Tovino Thomas (Oru Kuprasidha Payyan, Theevandi, Maradona, Ente Ummante Peru). Besides them, Baburaj who did an amazing job in Dinu Thomas directorial ‘Koodasa’ and filmmaker MA Nishad, who played the lead role in the movie ‘Walk’ directed by Sujith S Nair, too have charmed with their notable performances. In the end, the jury is likely to consider the versatility displayed by the actor while playing different roles.
Meanwhile, in the best actress category, Manju Warrier (Ami, Odiyan), Urvashi (Aravindante Athidikal, Ente Ummante Peru), Anu Sithara (Captain), Samyukta Menon (Theevandi), Aiswarya Lakshmi (Varathan) and Esther (Olu) are the nominees. A few new faces too are being considered for their incredible performances on screen.
In the category for best director, veteran filmmakers who have brought international laurels to Malayalam cinema will be competing with a few newcomers. Stalwarts like Shaji N Karun and TV Chandran lead the list of nominees. There had been controversies, in the past, when their movies were allegedly sidelined by the jury.
Movies like Olu (Shaji N Karun), Pengalila (TV Chandran), Roudram (Jayaraj), A Sunday (Syamaprasad), Njan Prakasan (Sathyan Anthikad), Oru Kuprasidda Payyan (Madhupal), Koode (Anjaly Menon), Sudani From Nigeria (Zacharia), Aravindante Athidikal (M Mohanan), Kayamkulam Kochunni (Rosshan Andrrews), Chola (Sanalkumar Sasidharan), Silencer (Priyanandanan), Ka Bodyscapes (Jayan Cheriyan), Prana (VK Prakash), Varathan (Amal Neerad), Odiyan (Sreekumar Menon), Queen (Dijo Jose Antony), Joseph (M Padmakumar), Theevandi (Fellini), Kuttanpillayude Sivarathri (Jean Markose) and Najn Marykutty (Ranjith Sankar) compete for awards in various categories.
As usual, veteran composer M Jayachandran is in the race for the award for best music composer, for his soulful music in movies like Odiyan, Koode, Aami and Ente Mezhuthiri Athzhangal. Kailas Menon who was noted for the beautiful song in Theevandi, Faisal Razi for the super hit song in Poomaram and Ranjin Raj for his charming melodies in Joseph too are nominated in this category. Though Shaan Rahman and Gopi Sundar too are in the list of the nominees, they are unlikely to give a tough competition for other contenders.
Though the movies Aami, directed by Kamal who is the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, and Carbon, edited by Beena Paul, the vice-chair person of the academy, are competing in various categories, Kamal and Beena wouldn’t be considered for the awards in their respective categories. 104 films have been submitted for the Kerala State Film Awards this year. Among them, 100 are feature films while the remaining four are children’s movies. The jury, divided into three groups, is watching the movies. However, many film workers have expressed concern whether any movie, that deserve to be honoured, would get unnoticed if the films are watched by the jury in groups. They say that a few good films were ignored like this in the past years as well.
The state award is expected to be announced either on February 28 or March 1, 2019. The jury is headed by noted filmmaker Kumar Sahni. Dr KP Poker is the head of the jury in the writing department. Filmmakers Sherry Govindan, George Kithu, cinematographer KG Jayan, sound engineer Mohandas, critic and director Vijayakrishnan, editor Biju Sukumaran, music composer PJ Ignatius and actress Navya Nair are the other jury members. Chalachitra Academy secretary Mahesh Panchu is the member secretary.
Here are the names of the movies and their directors that are competing in the various categories in the state award:
Silencer (Priyanandanan), Olu (Shaji N Karun), Ka Bosyscapes (Jaan K Cheriyan), Prana (VK Prakash), And the Oscar Goes To (Salim Ahmed), Roudram (Jayaraj), Chola (Sanalkumar Sasidharan), Najn Prakasan (Sathyan Anthikad), Poomaram (Abrid Shine), Ilayaraja (Madhav Ramadasan), Kanthan – The Lover of Colour (Shereef), Mullappoo Viplaam (Nickleson Poulose), Pani (Santhosh Mandoor), Muthalakku (KG Vijayakumar), Madhuramee Yathra (Satheesh Kumar), The Gambinos (Gireesh Panicker), Vipalanthri (Shoji Sebastian), Bolivia (Faisal), Odiyan (VA Sreekumar Menon), Varathan (Amal Neerad), The Sound Story (Prasad Prabhakar), The Nature (B Sreevallaban), Mammali Enna Indiakkaran (Arun N Sivan), Vahni (Adwait Shine), Theerumanam (PK Radhakrishnan), Nalla Visheshan (Ajithan), Swapna Rajyam (Ranji Vijayan), Nonsense (MC Jithin), Chanakya Thantram (Kannan Thamarakulam), Cuban Colony (Manoj Varghese Pareekattil), Koodasa (Dinu Thomas), Uncle (Gireesh Damodar), Paappas (Sambath, Jenu Sadan), Aami (Kamal), Pengalila (TV Chandran), A Sunday (Syamaprasad), Udalazham (Unnikrishnan Avala), Oru Kuprasidha Payyan (Madhupal), The Great Indian Road Movie (Sohan Lal), Koode (Anjaly Menon), Ente Ummante Peru (Jose Sebastian), Ave Mariya (Vipin Radhakrishnan), Carbon (Venu), Richter Scale (Jeeva), Your’s Lovingly (Biju K Kattakal), Kammarasambhavam (Ratheesh Ambattu), BTech (Mridul Nair), Aabhasam (Jubith Nambradathu), Paikutty (Nandu Varavoor), Kallayi FM (M Vineesh), Ranam (Nirmal Sahadev), Marubhoomikal (Sunil P Raghavan), Prashna Parihara Shala (Shabin Yena), Ivide Ii Nagarathil (Padmachandra Prasad), Oru Nakshatramulla Aakasham (Ajith Pulleri, Suneesh Babu), Drama (Ranjith), Vijay Sooparum Pournamiyum (Jis Joy), Prakasan (Bash Muhammed), Krishnam (Dinesh Babu), Swathnthyam Ardharathriyil (Tinu Pappachan), Walk (Sujith S Nair), Thattumburathu Achuthan (Lal Jose), Madhuramee Yathra (Satheesh Kumar), Ente Mezhuthiri Athazhangal (Sooraj Thomas), Neeli (Althaf Rahman), Chalakudikkaran Changathy (Vinayan), Uduppu (Ani Mukhathala), Joseph (M Padmakumar), Naamam (Ashok R Nath), Sudani From Nigeria (Zacharia), Aravindante Athidikal (M Mohanan), Shabdam (PK Sreekumar), Aadhi (Jeethu Joseph), Captain (Prajesh Sen), Theevandi (TP Fellini), Lilly (Prashob Vijayan), Kuttanpillayude Sivarathri (Jean Markose), Najn Marykutty (Ranjith Sankar), Janadhipan (Thanseer), Sidharthan Enna Njan (Ashu Prabha), Panchavarnathatha (Ramesh Pisharody), Ee Mazhanilavil (Jessy Daniel), 24 Days (Sreekant), Maradona (Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri), Queen (Diji Jose Antony), Makkana (Raheem Khader), Neeravam (Ajay Sivaram), Irulezhuthu (AM Manoj), Oru Kaatil Oru Paykappal (Vijaykumar Prabhakaran), Oru Pazhaya Bombu Kadha (Shafi), Maangalyam Thantu Thanena (Soumya Sadanandan), Samaksham (Aju K Narayanan, Anwar Abdulla), Orma (Sumesh Thiruvalla), Madhaveeyam (Thejas Perumanna), Arayakadavil (Gopi Kuttikol), Puzhayamma (Vijesh Mani), Khaleefa (Mubihaq), Paviyettante Madhura Chooral (Sree Krishnan), Kayamkulam Kochunni (Rosshan Andrrews), Angu Doore Oru deshathu (Joshy Mathew), Pandhu (Adhi), Appuvinte Sathyaneshwanam (Sohan Lal), Konnappokalum Mambazhavum (S Abhilash) and Kaatu Vithachavan (Satheesh Paul).
