Kerala shines at 72nd National Film Awards: Vaikom Vijayalakshmi best female singer, Feminichi Fathima best Malayalam film

The Malayalam film industry emerged as one of the biggest winners at the 72nd National Film Awards announced in New Delhi on Friday, bagging honours across major categories. The state's achievements were led by Mammootty's joint Best Actor win for Bramayugam, Feminichi Fathima being named Best Malayalam Film, and Vaikom Vijayalakshmi receiving the Best Female Playback Singer award for her rendition in ARM. Adding to Kerala's tally, Bramayugam also won Best Cinematography, while the non-feature film Bhadrakali Natakam received a Special Mention from the jury.

Best Actor: Mammootty
Legendary megastar Mammootty clinched the prestigious Best Actor award, sharing the top honor with Bollywood's Karthik Aaryan.

The award recognises Mammootty's masterclass performance in Bramayugam (The Age of Madness), a black-and-white period horror-thriller rooted deeply in Kerala folklore, myth, and dark sorcery.

The film was directed by Rahul Sadasivan. Notably, the movie also won the award for Best Cinematography for the visually stunning monochrome frames captured by cinematographer Shehnad Jalal.

Set in historical Kerala, the story follows a court singer who escapes captivity only to stumble into a mysterious, decaying mansion (mana) governed by a sinister feudal lord. Mammootty delivers a terrifying performance as the manipulative Kodumon Potti / Chaathan, masterfully supported by co-stars Arjun Ashokan and Sidharth Bharathan.

Best Malayalam Film: Feminichi Fathima
The top spot for the best regional language film in Malayalam went to the social drama Feminichi Fathima. The film was helmed by director Fasil Muhammed.

A lighthearted yet sharp satire that tackles gender equality, progressive values, and patriarchal mindsets in regional communities. Set in the coastal town of Ponnani, Kerala, the narrative tracks a spirited young woman who openly defies traditional expectations to establish her independence. Breakthrough performer Shamla Hamza steps into the titular role of Fathima, sharing the screen with Kumar Sunil and Viji Viswanath.

Feminichi Fathima, which won the best film at IFFK 2024, was also among the top 5 choices in Onmanorama's Critics' Choice Award.

Best Playback Singer (Female): Vaikom Vijayalakshmi
Renowned classical and playback singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi won the jury's vote for her soulful vocals in the fantasy film ARM.

She won the honour for the beautifully haunting, lullaby-esque track "Angu Vaana Konilu", composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas with lyrics penned by Manu Manjith.

The song is featured in the grand-scale action-fantasy epic ARM (Ajayante Randam Moshanam), directed by Jithin Laal.

Traversing three distinct eras (1900, 1950, and 1990), the film follows three generations of heroes guarding their land's most sacred treasure. Leading actor Tovino Thomas delivers a stellar performance in a demanding triple role as the three generational protagonists, acting alongside Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Suraj Venjaramoodu.

Special Mention (Non-Feature Category): Bhadrakali Natakam
Representing Kerala’s rich cultural heritage in the non-feature section, Bhadrakali Natakam received a Special Mention from the jury, sharing the spotlight with the Hindi short film Chola Dora Aur Sui. The non-feature documentary was directed by Ananda Jyothi (Jose Antony).

Subtitled Bhadra - The Dance of Kali, this project is a deeply researched documentary focusing on the ancient, ritualistic art form and powerful dance dramas dedicated to the goddess Bhadrakali in Kerala. It explores the preservation, spiritual intensity, and theatrical heritage of this vibrant temple ritual.