The Kerala Film Critics Association Awards are presented annually by the Kerala Film Critics Association to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Malayalam language film industry of India. The awards were instituted in 1977.
The Kerala Film Critics Association had a humble start in 1977 when a group of film journalists met at the behest of K. Aniyan, and Baby. The maiden award was presented to Yudhakandam at a modest function. Since then, the status of the award had increased and the function was becoming more colourful with every passing year. In 2005, director P.Venu was bestowed with Kala Prathiba Award for his immense contribution to Malayalam cinema.
Juries and rules
The films are selected by the members of the association. Initially, only those films that were released in theatres were considered for the award. Later, following the state award pattern, all censored films began to be considered. The aspirants have to remit an entry fee of Rs. 500 and the screening charge for contest for the award (as of 2002).
In addition to regular categories, the association occasionally presents special awards.
Best Actor (Male)– Mohanlal (Oppam)Best Actor (Female) – Nayanthara (Puthiya Niyamam)Best Film - OppamBest Director – Priyadarshan (Oppam)Second Best Film – Jacobinte SwargarajyamMost Popular Movie – PulimuruganRuby Jubilee Award - Adoor GopalakrishnanNivin Pauly- Special Jury award for Action Hero BijuTini Tom ,Samuthirakani and actress Lakshmi Gopalaswamy-Special Jury awards for Daffedar, Oppam and Kamboji respectively.Second Best Actor (Male) : Renji Panicker For Jacobinte Swargarajyam and Siddique for SukhamayirikkatteSecond Best Actor (Female): Surabhi (Minnaminungu)Best Scriptwriter : Vineeth Sreenivasan (Jacobinte Swargarajyam)Best Music Director : M Jayachandran (Kamboji)Best Singer (Male): Madhu BalakrishnanBest Singer (Female): Varsha Vinu and Alka AjithBest Cinematographer : Sujith Vaassudev (James And Alice)Best Film: Ottaal and Iyobinte PusthakamBest Director: Jayaraj (Ottaal) and Amal Neerad (Iyobinte Pusthakam)Best Actor – Male: Manoj K. Jayan (Kukkiliyar, Negalukal)Best Actor – Female: Asha Sarath (Varsham)Second Best Film: OttamandaramSecond Best Actor – Male: Nandhu (Ottamandaram, Kukkiliyar, Alroopangal)Best Actor – Female: Bhamaa (Ottamandaram, Nakku Penta Nakku Takka)Best Script: Bobby-Sanjay (How Old Are You?)Best Music Director: Gopi Sunder (1983, Nakku Penta Nakku Takka)Best Lyricist: Hari Narayanan (1983)Best Playback Singer – Male: Sudeep Kumar (Varsham)Best Playback Singer – Female: Madhusree Narayanan (Ottamandaram)Best Cinematographer:Best Child Artist: Ashanth K Shah (Ottaal) and Amritha Sunil (How Old Are You?)Best Editing — Hariharaputran (Alroopangal)Best Sound Recordist: N. HarikumarBest Art Director: Boban (Angels)Best Make-up: Pattanam Rasheed (Chayilyam, Kukkiliyar)Best Costume Designer: Sameera Saneesh (Iyobinte Pusthakam)Upcoming Actors: Nikki Galrani (1983) and Sachin Anand (Nakshathrangal)Upcoming Directors: Abrid Shine (1983), N. K. Muhammed Koya (Alif) and Jude Anthany Joseph (Om Shanti Oshana)Most Popular film: VellimoongaSpecial Mention: Kumarakom Vasavan (Ottaal)Special Jury Award:"Alif"Best Film: DrishyamBest Director: Jeethu Joseph (Drishyam)Best Actor – Male: Mohanlal (Drishyam)Best Actor – Female: Remya Nambeesan (English, Nadan)Second Best Film: AyalSecond Best Actor – Male: Mukesh (English, Vasanthathinte Kanalvazhikal)Best Actor – Female: Mallika (Kadhaveedu)Best Script: P. Ananthapadmanabhan (August Club)Best Music Director: Ratheesh Vega (Orissa)Best Lyricist: Prabhavarma and Madhu Vasudevan (Nadan)Best Playback Singer – Male: Najeem Arshad (Drishyam, Immanuel)Best Playback Singer – Female: Jyotsna (Zachariyayude Garbhinikal)Best Cinematographer: Udayan Ambadi (English)Best Child Artist— Sanoop Santhosh (Philips and the Monkey Pen)Best Editing — Sobin K Soman (Ayal)Best recording—Tapas Nayik (Nadan)Upcoming Actor, Niranjay (Black Butterfly)Upcoming Director, Sajin Babu (Astamayam Vare), Abin Jacob (Thompson Villa), Krishnajith S Vijayan (Flat No 4B) and Vinod Kumar (Test Paper)Most Popular film: AmenSpecial Jury Award: Orissa, Kunthapura, Vasanthathinte Kanalvazhikal and PakaramChalachithra Rathnam Award: K. R. VijayaChalachithra Prathiba award: T. G. Ravi, Mala Aravindan, A. J. JosephBest Film: PranayamBest Director: Blessey (Pranayam)Best Actor – Male: Mohanlal (Pranayam)Best Actor – Female: Rima Kallingal (Indian Rupee)Second Best Film: UrumiSecond Best Actor – Male: Anoop Menon (Traffic, Pranayam)Best Actor – Female: Lena (Traffic, Athe Mazha Athe Veyil)Best Script: Bobby-Sanjay (Traffic)Best Music Director: M. G. Sreekumar (Arabeem Ottakom P. Madhavan Nayarum in Oru Marubhoomikkadha)Best Lyricist: Rajiv Alunkal (Arabeem Ottakom P. Madhavan Nayarum in Oru Marubhoomikkadha)Best Playback Singer – Male: Vidhu Prathap (Oomakkuyil Padumbol)Best Playback Singer – Female: Manjari (Urumi)Best Cinematographer: Santhosh Sivan (Urumi)Best child artist(girl) — Malavika (Oomakkuyil Padumbol)Best child artist(boy) — Ashwin (Athe Mazha Athe Veyil)Best editing — DONMAX (Chappakurisu)Best recording—Ananda Babu(Urumi)Best debutant director—Siddique Chendamangalloor (Oomakkuyil Padumbol)Best debutant artist—Shaji Idappal(Athe Mazha Athe Veyil)Most Popular film: UrumiSpecial Jury award: Prithviraj (Indian Rupee, Urumi)Special Jury award: Oomakkuyil PadumbolChalachithra Rathnam Award: O. N. V. KurupChalachithra Prathiba award: Janardhanan, N. L. Balakrishnan, Thodupuzha VasanthiBest Film: GadhamaBest Director: Kamal (Khaddama)Best Actor – Male: Mammootty (Pranchiyettan and the Saint)Best Actor – Female: Kavya Madhavan (Khaddama)Second Best Film: MakaramanjuSecond Best Actor – Male: Biju Menon (Various Films)Best Supporting Actor – Female: Samvrutha Sunil (Various Films)Best Debut Director: Vinod Mankara (Karayilekku Oru Kadal Dooram)Best Story: Mohan Raghavan (T. D. Dasan Std. VI B)Best Script: Ranjith (Pranchiyettan and the Saint)Best Art Direction: Gokul DasBest Cinematographer: Madhu Ambat (Gramam)Best Music Director: M. Jayachandran (Karayilekku Oru Kadal Dooram)Best Lyricist: Kaithapram (Holidays, Neelambari)Best Playback Singer – Male: Shankar Mahadevan (Holidays)Best Playback Singer – Female: Shreya Ghoshal (Agathan)Best Popular Film: Janakan, ShikkarSpecial Jury Award: Salim Kumar (Adaminte Makan Abu)Chalachithra Rathnam Award: K. S. SethumadhavanChalachithra Prathibha Award: Jagannatha Varma, Santhakumari, Bichu Thirumala