Kerala State Film Awards: Mammootty bags 'Best Actor Award', Vincy Aloshious declared best actress

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Mammootty bagged the Best Actor title while young artist Vincy Aloshious was named Best Actress 'Nna, Thaan Case Kodu', a satirical movie directed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval that wooed audiences across categories last year, garnered several prominent titles, including Best Popular Movie with artistic value. Announcing the awards here, State Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan said as many as 154 films were considered by the jury headed by eminent Bengali filmmaker-actor Gautam Ghosh. Of them, 44 movies were selected for the final round to compete for various titles, he said.

«Among all the movies, 19 were by debutant filmmakers,» he said. The amusing performance showcased in the Lijo Jose Pellissery-directed 'Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam', which was also named the Best Film, helped Mammootty win the state honour again after an interval of a few years. Aloshious, who has some notable movies to her credit, got her maiden state award for the movie 'Rekha'.

Well-known filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan lifted the Best Director title for his latest movie 'Ariyippu'. The Jijo Antony-helmed 'Adithattu' clinched the honour for the Best Second Film, the minister said. Remarkable acting performances showcased by Kunchacko Boban and Alencier Ley Lopez in the movies 'Nna, Thaan Case Kodu' and 'Appan' respectively earned them the Jury's Special Mention.

Devi Varma and P P Kunjikrishnan were awarded Best Character Artists for 'Saudi Vellakka' and 'Nna, Thaan Case Kodu' respectively, he said. While Shahi Kabeer was named Best Debutant Director for 'Ela Veezha Poonchira', Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval bagged the Best Screenwriter title for 'Nna, Thaan Case Kodu'. Industry veterans M Jayachandran and Rafeeq Ahammed became the Best Music