Two Malayalam movies, ‘Headmaster’ and ‘B 32-44’, have been selected for the award for best film by the jury of the 46th Kerala Film Critics Awards for 2022.
While ‘Headmaster’, produced by Sreelal Devaraj and Prema P Thekkekk, was directed by Rajeev Nath, the KSFDC-funded ‘B 32-44’ was helmed by Sruthi Saranyam. Rajeev Nath and Sruthi will share the award for the director of the best film.
Meanwhile, Mahesh Narayanan was adjudged the best director for his film ‘Ariyippu.’ The best actor is Kunchacho Boban for his performances in ‘Nna Than Case Kodu’ and ‘Pakalum Pathiravum’, while Darshana Rajendran has won the best actress award for ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya He’ and ‘Purushapretham.’
82 entries received
The Film Critics Award is the only film award in Kerala other than the state government’s film award where entries are invited and the films are seen by a jury to select the winners. For the 2022 awards, 82 entries were received and the films were evaluated by a jury headed by Dr George Onakkoor. Onakkoor, who is also the president of the Film Critics Association, announced the awards along with general secretary Thekkinkadu Joseph.
Awards for K P Kumaran, Kamal Haasan
Winners of the other Film Critics honours include veteran filmmaker K P Kumaran for ‘Chalachitra Ratnam’ award for his overall contribution to the field and actor Kamal Haasan, who has completed 50 years in cinema, for the Critics Ruby Jubilee Award.
The Chalachitra Prathibha Award will be presented to the following celebrities: Actor Vijayaraghavan for achieving ruby jubilee in films; actress Shobana; actor, dancer and sound artist Vineeth; poster designer and scenarist Gayathri Asokan and senior actor Mohan D Kurichi.
Other awards
Second-best film: ‘Vettappattikalum Ottakkarum’.
Director of second-best film: Rarish G Kurup.
Best supporting actor: Shared by Thampy Antony (‘Headmaster’) and Alencier (‘Appan’)
Best supporting actress: Shared by Hanna Reji Koshy (‘Kooman’) and Gargi Ananthan (‘Ekan Anekan’)
Best child actor: Master Akash Raj (‘Headmaster’) and Baby Devanandana (‘Malikapuram’)
Best story: M Mukundan (‘Mahaveeryar’)
Best screenplay: Shihabudeen Poythukadavu and Sunny Joseph (‘Bhoomiyde Oppu’) and Sruthi Saranyam (‘B 32-44’)
Best song-writer: Vinayak Sasikumar ('Ini Utharam,' 'My Name is Azhakan,' 'The Teacher' and 'Keedom')
Best music director: Kavalam Sreekumar ('Headmaster')
Best BGM: Ronnie Raphael ('Headmaster')
Best male singer: K S Harishankar (for song ‘Enthinente nenjinullile…’ in film ‘Anandam Paramanandam’) and S Ravishankar (‘Mazhayil…’ in ‘Maadan’)
Best female singer: Nithya Mammen (‘Aayirathiri…’ in ‘Headmaster’)
Best cinematographer: Abraham Joseph (‘Kumari’)
Best visual editor: Sreejith Sarang (‘Jana Gana Mana’)
Best sound recording: Vishnu Govind, Ananthasankar J, Sreesankar (‘Malayankunju’)
Best art director: Jyothish Shankar (‘Ariyippu’, ‘Malayankunju’)
Best makeup artist: Amal Chandran (‘Kumari’)
Best costume designer: Dhanya Balakrishnan (‘Pathonpatham Noottandu’)
Best popular film: ‘Nna Than Case Kodu’ (director: Ratheesh Balakrishna Pothuval) and ‘Malikapuram’ (director: Vishnu Sasishankar)
Best children’s film: ‘Five Seeds’ (director: Aswin P S) and ‘Standard 5-B’ (director: P M Vinod Lal)
Best film which promotes national integration: ‘Saudi Vellakka’, directed by Tharun Moorthy.
Best biographical film: ‘Ayisha’ (directed by Ameer Pallikkal).
Best historical film: ‘Pathonpatham Noottandu’ (director: Vinayan)
Best film on the environment: ‘Vellarikkapattanam’ (director: Maneesh Kurup) and ‘Akkuvinte Padachon’ (director: Murukan Meleri)
Awards for the best debutants
Direction: Anil Dev for ‘Uttavar’ and Indu V S for ‘19 1 A’)
Acting: Advocate Shukkoor, P P Kunjikrishnan (‘Nna Than Case Kodu’); Ranjith Sajeev (‘Mike’) and Ashikha Asokan (‘Missing Girl’)
Special jury award: Mona Thavil (foreign actress who enacted the role of Mamma in ‘Ayisha’)
Special jury awards
Direction: Chidambara Palaniyappan (‘Ekan Anekan’), ‘Romancham’ (director: Jithu Madhavan), ‘Thoolika’ (Roy Manappallil), ‘Nipah’ (Benny Asamsa) and ‘In the Rain’ (Aadi Balakrishnan).
Acting: Harishree Asokan (‘Andrew the Man’), M A Nishad (‘Bharat Circus’), Lukman Avaran (‘Saudi Vellakka’), Basil Joseph (‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey’), Nithya Menen (’19 1 A’), Shine Tom Chacko (‘Thallumala, Kumari, Bharat Circus’), Somu Mathew (‘Nombarakoodu’) and Tony Sijimon (‘Vellarikkapattanam’)
Best film having social relevance: ‘Chathi’ directed by Sarathchandran Wayanad, ‘Kaipola’ directed by K G Shaiju and ‘Checken’ directed by Shafi Eppikkad.
Best non-Malayalam movie
The Film Critics Award committee decided to institute a new award for non-Malayalam films receiving good response in Kerala from 2022. The first award in this category has gone to ‘Ponniyin Selvan – 1’.
