49th FILM CRITICS AWARDS 2025: EKO BAGS THE BEST FILM AWARD, DOMINIC ARUN BEST DIRECTOR, MOHANLAL BEST ACTOR, KALYANI & ANASWARA BEST ACTRESS, CHALACHITRA RETNAM TO M G SREEKUMAR & PRIYADARSHAN TO GET THE RUBY JUBILEE AWARD

 29/04/2026

PRESS RELEASE

49th FILM CRITICS AWARDS 2025: EKO BAGS THE BEST FILM AWARD, DOMINIC ARUN 

BEST DIRECTOR, MOHANLAL BEST ACTOR,  KALYANI & ANASWARA  BEST ACTRESS,  CHALACHITRA RETNAM TO M G SREEKUMAR & PRIYADARSHAN TO GET THE RUBY JUBILEE AWARD

Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam movie Eko, produced by M R K Jayaram, directed by Dinjith Ayyathan bags the Best Film Award in the 49th Kerala Film Critics Award for the year 2025. Dominic Arun for the movie Lokah-Chapter 1 Chandra has been adjudged as the best director. Mohanlal for his portrayal in Thudarum and Hridayapoorvam won the award for the best actor where as Kalyani Priyadarshan for her role in the movie Lokah-Chapter 1 Chandra and Anaswara Rajan for her role in the movie Rekhachitram & Mr & Mrs Bachelor shares the award for the best actress.

Kerala Film Critics Award is the only private award in Kerala other than the State Awards, that is adjudged by a Jury after inviting entries followed by award screening.

Last year’s awards were declared by Jury Chairman and President of the Association Dr George Onakkoor and Secretary Thekkinkad Joseph. The awards were adjudged by a Jury constituted with m/s Thekkinkad Joseph, Dr Aravindan Vallachira, Dr Jose K Manuel and A Chandrasekhar as members. 

CHALACHITRA RETNAM M G SREEKUMAR

The Chalachitra Retnam life time acheivement award has been bestowed to noted musician and singer M G Sreekumar.

RUBY JUBILEE AWARD FOR PRIYADARSHAN

Director and Scriptwriter Priayadarshan has been awarded with the Ruby Jubilee Award constituted to comemmorate the 40th  year of the Association for his outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema.

CHALACHITRA PRATHIBHA

Actor and producer T G Ravi, Actor Costumer Indrans, Lyricist and writer Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Production Controller and Producer Kalliyoor Sasi, Actor Urmila Unni, singer B Arundhathi have been selected for the prestigious ChalachitraPrathibha Awards.

OTHER AWARDS

Second Best film: Rekhachitra,

(Directed by Joseph T Chacko, Producer Venu Kunnappalli)

Best Supporting Actor Male: Prakash Varma (Thudarum), Dileesh Pothen (Ronth)

Best Supporting Actor female: Honey Rose (Rachael), Subha Vayanad (Santhi-The Reflection of Truth)

Best Emerging Talent Actor: 3. Dr. Manoj Govindan (Periyon)

Special Jury Award for excellence in Acting- 1. Sangeeth Prathap (Hridayapoorvam)

2. Sandeep Pradeep (Eko), 4.Twinkle Joby (A Pregnant Widow), 5.Meenakshi (Private)

Best Child Artiste male: Master Dharmik Sudhakaran (Pachatheyyam) 

Best Child Artiste female: Baby Devananda Jibin (Kalyanamaram) 

Best Story: G R Indugopan (Ponman)

Best Screenplay: Rajesh Thillenkeri (A Pregnant Widow)

Best Lyricist: Mahesh Gopal (Mr & Mrs Bachelor), Murali Neelambari (Vadu)

Best Music Director: Jakes Bejoy (Narivetta, Lokah: Chapter 1 Chandra)

Best Playback singer Male: Navneeth Unnikrishnan (song Vidaparayam...movie: Hridayapoorvam)

Best Playback singer Female: Sithara Krishnakumar (song Minnalvala..., Film Narivetta), J R Divya Nair (song madhuramayoru kokilanaadam, Film Nerariyum Nerathu)

Best Cinematography: Muhammed A (Thanthapperu)

Best Film Editor: Praveen Prabhakar (Kalamkaaval)

Best Sound : M R Rajakrishnan (L 2 Empuran)

Best Art Direction: Sunil Lavanya (Jagala)

Best Makeupman: Ronex Xavier (Lokah:Chapter 1 Chandra)

Best costumer: Minima Shaji (Moonnaam Nombaram)

Best Popular film of the Year: Sarvam Maya (Director:Akhil Sathyan, Producers Dr. Ajayya Kumar and R. Rajeev Menon)

Best Children’s Film : Daivathankunnu (Director: Joshy Mathew, Producer Baby Mathew Somatheeram), Pachatheyyam (Director Gopi Kuttikkol, Producer: Kasaragod District Panchayat)

Best movie on Women Empowerment: Victoria (Director Sivaranjini J, Producer KSFDC)

Best movie on National Integration: Khidki Gaav (Director:Sanju Surendran, Producer Dr MN Surendran) 

Best Environmental Film: Kalyanamaram (Director: Rajesh Amanakara, Producer: Saji K Elias), Bhoothalam (Director Sreekanth Pangappattu, Producer:Kavitha Sreekanth)

Best movie with Social Relavance: Ariku (Director VS Sanoj, Producer KSFDC), Swalih (Director Siddik Paravoor, Producer Shaju Valappan)

Best movie with a message: Samastha Loka (Director: Sherry Govindan, Producer: Jasheeda Shaji), Mindiyum Paranjum (Director Arun Bose,Producer Salim Ahmmed), Moonwalk (Director Vinod A K,Producers: Listin Stephan, Jesni Ahmmed), Chinna Chinna Aasai (Director :Varsha Vasudev,Producer Abhijith Babuji), Karuthal (Producere-Director: Jomy Jose Kaipparettu)

Best Biblical Movie : Moonnam Nombaram (Director: Joshy Illath,Producer Jiji Karmaleth (Mathew Joseph)

Best Other Language movie: Parashakti (Directed by Sudha Kongara Prasad Producer Akash Bhaskaran)

Best Debutants: 

Actor: Riya Shibu (Sarvam Maya), Direction-Jithin K Jose (Kalamkaval), Sharan Venugopal (Narayaneente Monnaanmakkal),Prasanth Vijay (Ithiri Neram), Dr Manoj Govindan (Nobody), Shaju Valappan (Nizhal Vyaparikal) Script: Shanti (Lokah Chapter 1 Chandra)

Dr George Onakkur                                                                       Thekkinkad Joseph

President                                                                                                      General Secretary

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