Tamil Nadu Film Awards 2016 to 2022: Ceremony date, prize money, complete winner list revealed

The Tamil Nadu government finally announced the State Film Awards for all the years from 2016 to 2022. The Deputy Chief Minister will give the awards and the first prize for Best Film gets Rs 2 lakh. The second prize gets Rs 1 lakh and third prize gets Rs 75,000. All winners also get a gold medal along with certificate and memento.

Dhanush who won the Best Actor award for 2018 for his movie 'Vada Chennai' wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "I sincerely thank the Government of Tamil Nadu for conferring upon me the State Award for Vada Chennai. It is a true honor. My heartfelt congratulations to all the other awardees as well."

Dushara Vijayan won the Best Actress (Special Mention) for 2022 for 'Natchathiram Nagargiradhu'. She wrote, "With a heart full of gratitude I accept the Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Actress (Special Mention) for ‘Natchathiram Nagargiradhu’ (2022). To be recognised by the Tamil Nadu Government by the land that raised my dreams and shaped my art is an honour I will carry with humility and pride.”

Here is the complete list of winners

2016 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Maanagaram

Best Film (Second Prize): Puriyatha Puthir

Best Film (Third Prize): Maaveeran Kittu

Best Film (Special Prize): Manusangada

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Aruvi

Best Actor: Vijay Sethupathi (Puriyatha Puthir)

Best Actress: Keerthy Suresh (Paambu Sattai)

Best Actor (Special Prize): S Guru Somasundaram (Joker)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Aditi Balan (Aruvi)

Best Villain: Rahman (Oru Mugathirai)

Best Comedy Actor: Robo Shankar (posthumous) (Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaran)

Best Comedy Actress: Madhumitha (Kaashmora)

Best Supporting Actor: R Parthiban (Maaveeran Kittu)

Best Supporting Actress: Manisha Yadav (Oru Kuppai Kathai)

Best Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj (Maanagaram)

Best Music Director: Sam CS (Puriyatha Puthir)

Best Lyricist: Madhan Karky (“Naan Un” from 24)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Velmurugan (Oru Kuppai Kathai)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Vaikom Vijayalakshmi (Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaran)

Best Cinematographer: Balasubramaniem (Kathakali)

Best Editor: Kasi Viswanathan (Maaveeran Kittu)

Best Art Director: John Britto (Ilami)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Anbariv (Kaashmora / 24)

2017 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Aramm

Best Film (Second Prize): Vikram Vedha

Best Film (Third Prize): Taramani

Best Film (Special Prize): To Let

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Dharmadurai

Best Actor: Karthi (Theeran Adhigaram Ondru)

Best Actress: Nayanthara (Aramm)

Best Actor (Special Prize): Santhosh Sreeram (To Let)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Andrea Jeremiah (Taramani)

Best Villain: Prasanna (Thiruttu Payale 2)

Best Comedy Actor: Bala Saravanan (En Aaloda Seruppa Kaanom)

Best Comedy Actress: Urvashi (Magalir Mattum)

Best Supporting Actor: Bose Venkat (Kavan/Theeran Adhigaram Ondru)

Best Supporting Actress: Sunu Lakshmi (Aramm)

Best Director: Pushkar-Gayathri (Vikram Vedha)

Best Music Director: Hip Hop Thamizhaa (Kavan)

Best Lyricist: Vivek (“Theeran Da” from Theeran Adhigaram Ondru)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Sathyaprakash (Thiruttu Payale 2)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Shakthisree Gopalan (Vikram Vedha)

Best Cinematographer: P Chelladurai (Thiruttu Payale 2)

Best Editor: A Raja Mohammad (Thiruttu Payale 2 / Veeraiyan)

Best Art Director: AK Muthu (Andava Kaanom)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Dhilip Subbarayan (Vikram Vedha / Theeran Adhigaram Ondru)

2018 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Pariyerum Perumal

Best Film (Second Prize): Kadaikutty Singam

Best Film (Third Prize): 96

Best Film (Special Prize): Seethakaathi

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Kanaa

Best Actor: Dhanush (Vada Chennai)

Best Actress: Jyothika (Chekka Chivantha Vaanam)

Best Actor (Special Prize): Vishnu Vishal (Ratsasan)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Aishwarya Rajesh (Kanaa / Vada Chennai)

Best Villain: Samuthirakani (Vada Chennai)

Best Comedy Actor: Yogi Babu (Mohini)

Best Comedy Actress: Devadarshini (96)

Best Supporting Actor: Ameer (Vada Chennai)

Best Supporting Actress: Viji Chandrasekhar (Kadaikutty Singam)

Best Director: Mari Selvaraj (Pariyerum Perumal)

Best Music Director: Santhosh Narayanan (Vada Chennai)

Best Lyricist: Thiyagarajan Kumararaja (Seethakaathi)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Sid Sriram (Multiple Films)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Aaradhana Sivakarthikeyan (Kanaa)

Best Cinematographer: R Velraj (Kadaikutty Singam / Vada Chennai)

Best Editor: San Lokesh (Ratsasan)

Best Art Director: Vinoth Rajkumar (Seethakaathi)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Supreme Sundar (Goli Soda 2)

2019 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Asuran

Best Film (Second Prize): Oththa Seruppu Size 7

Best Film (Third Prize): Comali

Best Film (Special Prize): KD Engira Karuppudurai

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Pon Magal Vandhal

Best Actor: R Parthiban (Oththa Seruppu Size 7)

Best Actress: Manju Warrier (Asuran)

Best Actor (Special Prize): Karthi (Kaithi)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Indhuja (Magamuni)

Best Villain: Arjun Das (Kaithi)

Best Comedy Actor: Karunakaran (Monster)

Best Comedy Actress: Kovai Sarala (Kanchana-3)

Best Supporting Actor: Prakash Raj (Asuran)

Best Supporting Actress: Sriranjani (House Owner)

Best Director: R Parthiban (Oththa Seruppu Size 7)

Best Music Director: Thaman (Magamuni)

Best Lyricist: Kabilan (NGK)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Haricharan (Multiple Films)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Saindhavi (Asuran)

Best Cinematographer: Theni Easwar (Peranbu)

Best Editor: R Sudharsan (Oththa Seruppu Size 7)

Best Art Director: CS Balachandran (Dharma Prabhu)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Anbariv (Kaithi)

2020 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Koozhangal

Best Film (Second Prize): Soorarai Pottru

Best Film (Third Prize): Sandakari

Best Film (Special Prize): Thaen

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Kamali From Nadukkaveri

Best Actor: Suriya (Soorarai Pottru)

Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali (Soorarai Pottru)

Best Actor (Special Prize): Tharun Kumar (Thaen)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Abernathy (Thaen)

Best Villain: Nanda (Vaanam Kottattum)

Best Comedy Actor: Rakshan (Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal)

Best Comedy Actress: Nil

Best Supporting Actor: Karunaas (Soorarai Pottru)

Best Supporting Actress: Vadivukkarasai (Jananayagam Virpanaikku Alla)

Best Director: Sudha Kongara (Soorarai Pottru)

Best Music Director: GV Prakash Kumar (Soorarai Pottru)

Best Lyricist: Thamarai (“Thaainilam”)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Amrish (Sandakari)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Varsha Ranjith (Thaainilam)

Best Cinematographer: NK Ekambaram (Ka Pae Ranasingam)

Best Editor: Lawrence Kishore (Thaen)

Best Art Director: Iyyappan (Sandakari)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Super Subbarayan (Chasing)

2021 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Jai Bhim

Best Film (Second Prize): Kadaisi Vivasayi

Best Film (Third Prize): Karnan

Best Film (Special Prize): Rs 2000

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Netrikann

Best Actor: Arya (Sarpatta Parambarai)

Best Actress: Lijomol Jose (Jai Bhim)

Best Actor (Special Prize): Pasupathy (Sarpatta Parambarai)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Amrutha Srinivasan (Irudhi Pakkam)

Best Villain: Thamizh (Jai Bhim)

Best Comedy Actor: Yogi Babu (Doctor)

Best Comedy Actress: Madhumitha (Varisi)

Best Supporting Actor: K Manikandan (Jai Bhim)

Best Supporting Actress: Dr Raichal Rebecca (Kadaisi Vivasayi)

Best Director: Tha Se Gnanavel (Jai Bhim)

Best Music Director: Sean Roldan (Jai Bhim)

Best Lyricist: Thamarai (Maara)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Arivu (Jai Bhim)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Bhavatharini (Maamanithan)

Best Cinematographer: Richard M Nathan (Maanaadu)

Best Editor: Praveen (Maanaadu)

Best Art Director: T Ramalingam (Karnan)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Mahesh Mathew (Kodiyil Oruvan)

2022 Awards

Best Film (First Prize): Gargi

Best Film (Second Prize): Taanakkaran

Best Film (Third Prize): Witness

Best Film (Special Prize): Iravin Nizhal

Best Film About Women Empowerment (Special Prize): Aval Appadithan 2

Best Actor: Vikram Prabhu (Taanakkaran)

Best Actress: Sai Pallavi (Gargi)

Best Actor (Special Prize): Appukutty (Vazhga Vivasaayi)

Best Actress (Special Prize): Dushara Vijayan (Natchathram Nagargiradhu)

Best Villain: Prakash Raj (Viruman)

Best Comedy Actor: Robo Shankar (posthumous) (Iravin Nizhal)

Best Comedy Actress: Indraja Shankar (Viruman)

Best Supporting Actor: Bose Venkat (Taanakkaran)

Best Supporting Actress: Vasundhara (Vazhga Vivasaayi)

Best Director: Gautham Ramachandran (Gargi)

Best Music Director: AR Rahman (Ponniyin Selvan: I)

Best Lyricist: Ilango Krishnan (Ponniyin Selvan: I)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Haricharan (Iravin Nizhal)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Khatija Rahman (Iravin Nizhal)

Best Cinematographer: R Arthur Wilson (Iravin Nizhal)

Best Editor: Suresh Urs (Ulagammai)

Best Art Director: Thota Tharani (Ponniyin Selvan: I)

Best Stunt Coordinator: Anl Arasu (Viruman)

The award show will happen on February 13 at 4:30 pm at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”