The new generation of actors edged out seasoned veterans, including superstar Mammootty, at the 2014 Kerala State Film Awards announced on Monday.
While upcoming star Nivin Pauly and Sudev Nair shared the best actor award, the best actress award went to Nazriya Nazim. Pauly got the award for his performance in films 1983 and Bangalore Days, while Nair, who is Mumbai-based, got it for his stellar performance in My Life Partner — about the emotional relationship between two men.
Nazim, who has scaled back work since she got married to Malayalam actor Fahad Fazil last year, got the award for her roles in Om Shanthi Oshana and Bangalore Days.
“All the good things in my life appear to have come after my marriage and I dedicate this award to him [Fahad]. Bangalore Days was the last film that I acted in before marriage,” said Nazim, who was shopping when she found out she had won the award.
Asked if she would start acting again, she said: “I have never said I will not act again.”
Pauly, who is currently the top star in the Malayalam film industry, said he owes this award to the directors of the films that won him his first state award for best actor. An engineer by profession, Pauly took up acting after quitting his job with IT company Infosys.
Pauly told reporters that the award was inspiration and encouragement to better his craft. “It is an added responsibility, also,” he added.
The best film award went to Ottal, directed by Jayaraj and the best director award went to Sanalkumar Sasidharan for his film Oralpokam.
Ottal recently won the National Film Award in the best environment film category.
Veteran singer K J Yesudas won the award for the best playback singer for his song in White Boys while Shreya Ghoshal was named the best singer in the female category for her hit number in the movie How Old Are You. Ramesh Narayanan was chosen as the best music director for his songs in White Boys.
Announcing the awards, state cinema minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that the award jury suggested that instead of them watching all the entries in one sitting, it would be better if there was a preliminary jury that would watch all the films over the course of one month and then make their recommendations to the award jury.
“This is a good suggestion and it would be looked into. They have also recommended giving subsidies to all Malayalam films,” he said.
While the director and producer of the best film and the best director will get Rs200,000 (Dh11,507) each, a citation and a plaque, the best actor and actress will get Rs50,000, a citation and plaque, Radhakrishnan said.
