The winners of the 55th Kerala State Film Awards were announced at a grand event held in Thrissur at the Kerala Sahitya Academy Hall. The ceremony celebrated the finest achievements in Malayalam cinema for the year 2025. Minister for Cultural Affairs, Saji Cherian, officially announced the winners on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, marking a proud moment for filmmakers and artists across Kerala.
A total of 128 films were submitted for consideration, reflecting the growing diversity and creativity of the Malayalam film industry. From these, 38 films were shortlisted for the final round after a rigorous evaluation process. The jury was chaired by acclaimed actor-filmmaker Prakash Raj and included noted industry figures such as Ranjan Pramod, Jibu Jacob, Bhagyalakshmi, Gayathri Ashokan, Nithin Lukose, Santhosh Echikkanam, and C Ajoy. Their collective expertise ensured a fair and balanced selection process honoring both artistic and technical excellence.
Top Winners
- Manjummel Boys was the biggest winner, bagging ten awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for Chidambaram.
- Mammootty won Best Actor (Male) for Bramayugam, marking his ninth career win in this category.
- Shamla Hamza received Best Actor (Female) for Feminichi Fathima.
- Feminichi Fathima also won Best Second Film and Best Debut Director for Fasil Muhammed.
- Premalu earned Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value.
Acting and Jury Honors
- Special Jury Award (Acting) – Jyothirmayi (Bougainvillea), Darshana Rajendran (Paradise), Asif Ali (Kishkindha Kaandam), Tovino Thomas (ARM).
- Special Award for Women/Transgender – Payal Kapadia for All We Imagine As Light.
- Special Jury Mention (Film) – Paradise.
- Best Story – Prasanna Vithanage for Paradise.
- Best Screenplay (Original) – Chidambaram (Manjummel Boys).
- Best Screenplay (Adapted) – Lajo Jose and Amal Neerad (Bougainvillea).
Performance and Technical Categories
- Best Character Actor (Male) – Soubin Shahir (Manjummel Boys) and Sidharth Bharathan (Bramayugam).
- Best Character Actor (Female) – Lijomol Jose (Nadanna Sambhavam).
- Best Editor – Sooraj E S (Kishkindha Kaandam).
- Best Cinematography – Shyju Khalid (Manjummel Boys).
- Best Music Composer – Sushin Shyam (Maravile, Bhoolokam, Bougainvillea).
- Best Background Music – Christo Xavier (Bramayugam).
- Best Playback Singer (Male) – KS Harisankar (Kiliye, ARM).
- Best Playback Singer (Female) – Zeba Tommy (Aarorum, Am Ah).
- Best Lyrics – Vedan (Kuthanthram, Manjummel Boys).
Sound, Visual, and Art Direction
- Best Sound Designing – Manjummel Boys.
- Best Sound Mixing – Manjummel Boys.
- Best Sync Sound – Ajayan Adat (Pani).
- Best Laboratory/Colourist – Srik Varier (Manjummel Boys).
- Best Dubbing Artist (Male) – Bhasi Vaikkom (Barroz).
- Best Dubbing Artist (Female) – Sayanora Philip (Barroz).
- Best Choreography – Bougainvillea.
- Best Makeup – Ronex Xavier (Bougainvillea, Bramayugam).
- Best Costume Design – Sameera Saneesh (Rekhachitram, Bougainvillea).
- Best Visual Effects – Jithin Laal and Team (ARM).
- Best Art Direction – Ajayan Challissery (Manjummel Boys).
Literary and Overall Recognition
- Best Book on Cinema – Penpattu Tharakam by C S Meenakshi.
- The 2025 edition celebrated both artistic and technical excellence, recognizing the balance of creativity, innovation, and inclusivity in Malayalam cinema.
- With its ten-award victory, Manjummel Boys reaffirmed its dominance and set a new benchmark for storytelling and craft in Indian regional cinema.
