Kerala State Film Awards 2019 announced; Suraj Venjaramoodu and Kani Kusruthi bag top honours

The eagerly awaited Kerala State Film Awards announcement for the year 2019 has been made by Minister for Cultural Affairs, AK Balan in a press meet held in the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. Usually, the awards are announced during the February-March period but this year, the process got delayed due to the virus outbreak. A total of 119 films, including 5 children’s films, competed for the top honours this year. Despite the pandemic threat, the jury members headed by Madhu Ambat managed to watch all the films and picked the deserving winners.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Best Film – Vasanthi

Best Second Film – Kenchira

Best Director – Lijo Jose Pellissery (Jallikattu)

Best Debut Director – Ratheesh Balakrishna Poduval (Android Kunjappan Version 5.25)

Best Film with Aesthetic Quality and Popular Appeal – Kumbalangi Nights

Best Children’s Film – Nani

Best Actor, Male – Suraj Venjaramoodu (Android Kunjappan Version 5.25, Vikruthi)

Best Actor, Female – Kani Kusruthi (Biriyani)

Best Character Actor, Male – Fahadh Faasil (Kumbalangi Nights)

Best Character Actor, Female – Swasika (Vasanthi)

Best Child Actor, Boy – Vasudev Sajeesh Marar (Sullu, Kallanottam)

Best Child Actor, Girl – Kathryn Biji (Nani)

Special Jury Mention, Actor – Nivin Pauly (Moothon)

Special Jury Mention, Actress – Anna Ben (Helen), Priyamvadha Krishna (Thotappan)

Best Story – Shahul Aliyar (Vari The Sentence)

Best Screenplay, Original – Rahman Brothers (Vasanthi)

Best Screenplay, Adapted – PS
Rafeeque (Thottappan)

Best Cinematographer – Prathap V Nair (Idam, Kenchira)

Best Editor – Kiran Das (Ishq)

Best Music Director – Sushin Shyam (Kumbalangi Nights)

Special Jury Mention Music Director (Songs) – V Dakshinamoorthy (Shyamaraagam)

Best Background Score – Ajimal Hasbullah (Vrithakrithiyilulla Chathuram)

Best Lyricist – Sujeesh Hari (Pulari Poo Pole, Sathyam Paranja Vishwasikkuvo)

Best Playback Singer, Male – Najeem Harshad (Athmavile, Ketyolaan Ente Malakha)

Best Playback Singer, Female – Madhushree Narayanan (Parayatharike, Kolambi)

Best Art Director – Jyothish Shankar (Kumbalangi Nights, Android Kunjappan Version 5.25)

Best Sync Sound – Harikumar Madhavan Nair (Nani)

Best Sound Mix – Kannan Ganapathy (Jallikattu)

Best Sound Design – Vishnu Govind, Sree Sankar (Unda, Ishq)

Best Processing Laboratory/Colourist – Liju (Idam)

Best Makeup Man – Ranjith Ambadi (Helen)

Best Costume Designer – Ashokan Alappuzha (Kenchira)

Best Choreographer – Brinda, Prasanna Sujit (Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham)

Best Dubbing Artist, Male – Vineeth (Lucifer, Marakkar Arabikkadalinte Simham)

Best Dubbing Artist, Female –
Shruthi Ramachandran (Kamala)

Special Jury Award for Lead VFX Supervisor – Siddharth Priyadarshan (Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham)

Veteran cinematographer Madhu Ambat was the jury chairman this year. Other members include L Bhoominathan, directors Salim Ahamed, Abrid Shine, cinematographer and director Vipin Mohan, sound engineer S Radhakrishnan, playback singer Lathika, actor Jomol, writer Benyamin and C Ajoy, secretary of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.