Debut films sparkle in state film awards

Debut feature films 'Ottamuri Velicham' and 'Aedan' triumphed at the 48th Kerala state film awards 2017 bagging four awards each in different categories. On International Women's Day, 'Ottamuri Velicham', the debut film of Rahul Riji Nair which tells the stunning resistance of a woman to domestic abuse won the award for best film. The film also won special mention for female actor Vineetha Koshy, the award for the best editor to Appu Bhattathiri along with Veeram, the award for best female character actor Pauli Valsan.
Sanju Surendran's 'Aedan' won the award for the second best film.'Aedan' was earlier awarded the FIPRESCI Award for Best Malayalam film during IFFK 2017. The film also took away best awards for the cinematographer, adapted screenplay and sound editing. A stirring portrayal of an old father wandering in search of his son in the movie 'Aalorukkam' earned Indrans his first ever award for best actor in a career spanning more than three decades. The film written and directed by V C Abhilash has Indrans playing Pappu Pisharadi, an Ottan thullal artiste.
Parvathy rode on the success of real-life survival drama 'Take Off' to win her second award for the best female actor. In 2015 she was adjudged best actress for her roles in 'Charlie' and 'Ennu Ninte Moideen'. 'Take off' also earned Mahesh Narayanan, the award for the best debut director. Lijo Jose Pellisserry's offbeat, experimental work 'Ee.Ma.Yau' won him Best director award.
Alencier Ley Lopez won the award for the best character role, playing an inept cop craving for glory in the film 'Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum'. M K Arjunan won the award for best music director, the first ever state award for the veteran musician, for his compositions in the film 'Bhayanakam'. Shahbaz Aman and Sithara Krishnakumar won awards for best male and female playback singers for movies 'Mayanadi' and 'Vimanam' respectively.
Sajiv Pazhoor won the award for the best scriptwriter for the movie 'Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum'. MA Nishad who wrote the story for the film 'Kinar' won the award for the best story writer.
The 10 member jury headed by TV Chandran had selected 23 out of 110 films to decide the awards. The jury opined that a major share of films did not approach the film medium seriously and that the standard of 110 films was hardly hopeful. Minister for film and culture A K Balan who announced the awards said that the award distribution ceremony will be held in Kollam.