Kerala State Film Awards 2023 winners honoured: Prithviraj, Urvashi, Mammootty’s ‘Kaathal – The Core’ shine at presentation ceremony

The 54th Kerala State Film Awards presentation ceremony took place in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday (April 17), with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan honouring some of the finest talents of the Malayalam film industry. Held with much grandeur, the event saw the presence of top stars, filmmakers, and technicians as accolades were handed out for the best works of 2023.

In his address, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasized the importance of safeguarding artistic freedom and urged artistes to continue pushing creative boundaries. Ministers, cultural dignitaries, and jury members were present to mark the occasion.
Winners honoured
Prithviraj Sukumaran took home the Best Actor award for his riveting performance in Aadujeevitham, which emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, bagging a total of nine awards. Veteran actresses Urvashi and Beena R Chandran were jointly honoured with the Best Actress award for their powerful portrayals. Mammootty’s critically acclaimed film Kaathal – The Core, produced under the Mammootty Kampany banner, won the coveted Best Film award.
Prithviraj’s stunning appearance
Dressed in a traditional white kurta and dhoti, Prithviraj made a graceful appearance that matched the significance of the occasion.

Other winners
Renowned filmmaker Shaji N Karun was conferred the prestigious JC Daniel Award, the highest honour in Malayalam cinema, for his lifelong contributions. He received a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a statue, and a certificate.
Other winners included director Blessy, sound designer Resul Pookutty, filmmaker Jeo Baby, and actors Joju George, Roshan Mathew, and Sangeeth Prathap, all of whom were recognised for their excellence in cinema.
‘Thadavu’, ‘O Baby’, ‘Chaaver’, and ‘2018’
Among the notable mentions were films like Thadavu, O Baby, Chaaver, and 2018, which also won top honours. With nearly 160 Malayalam films in competition, the awards reflected the diverse talent thriving in the industry.