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Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor

Annual Indian film award From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor is an award, begun in 1969, presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to an actor for best performance in a Malayalam film. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala. Since 1998, the awards have been constituted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous, non-profit institution functioning under the Department of Cultural Affairs.[1] The awardees are decided by a jury constituted every year.[2] They are announced by the Minister for Cultural Affairs and are presented by the Chief Minister.[3]

Awarded forBest performance by an actor in a Malayalam film
Sponsored byKerala State Chalachitra Academy
Reward₹100,000 (US$1,000)
First award1969
Quick facts Awarded for, Sponsored by ...
Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
Mammootty is the recent winner in 2025
Awarded forBest performance by an actor in a Malayalam film
Sponsored byKerala State Chalachitra Academy
Reward₹100,000 (US$1,000)
First award1969
Final award2025
Most recent winnerMammootty
Highlights
Most awardsMammootty (7)
Total awarded55
First winnerSathyan
Websitekeralafilm.com
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Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the government has presented 55 Best Actor awards to 35 actors. The recipients receive a figurine, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹100,000 (US$1,000).[4][5] Several actors have won the honour for more than one film in a given year. As of 2020, the only actor to have won the prize in consecutive years is Bharat Gopy, in 1982 and 1983.

The first Kerala State film Awards ceremony was held in 1970 with Sathyan receiving the award for Kadalpalam (1969). As of 2025, Mammootty is the most honoured actor with seven awards. Mohanlal has won the award six times. Actors Bharat Gopy and Murali have won the award four times. Prithviraj Sukumaran is the youngest recipient at age 24 for Vaasthavam (2006).[a] There were five years when there was a tie for the winner—Rajit Kapur and Murali shared the honour in 1998, Fahadh Faasil and Lal in 2013, Nivin Pauly and Sudev Nair in 2014, Jayasurya and Soubin Shahir in 2018, and Biju Menon and Joju George in 2021. The recent winner is Mammootty for Bramayugam (2024).

Winners

Mammootty is the most frequent winner with seven awards. He is also the most recent winner in 2025.
Prithviraj Sukumaran pictured during an event in 2019
Prithviraj Sukumaran is the youngest recipient of the award (at age 24), for his role in Vaasthavam (2006).


†Indicates a joint award for that year
More information Year, Image ...
Year Image Recipient(s) Film(s) Ref.
1969 Sathyan Kadalpalam [7]
1970 Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair Aranazhika Neram [8]
1971 Sathyan Karakanakadal [9]
1972 Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair Maaya [9]
1973 P. J. Antony Nirmalyam [9]
1974 Adoor Bhasi Chattakari [9]
1975 Sudheer Sathyathinte Nizhalil [9]
1976 M. G. Soman Thanal
Pallavi		 [9]
1977 Bharat Gopy Kodiyettam [9]
1978 Sukumaran Bandhanam [9]
1979 Adoor Bhasi Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal [9]
1980 Achankunju Lorry [9]
1981 Nedumudi Venu Various [10]
1982 Bharat Gopy Ormakkayi [10]
1983 Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku
Rachana
Kattathe Kilikkoodu
Eenam		 [10]
1984 Mammootty Adiyozhukkukal [10]
1985 Bharat Gopy Chidambaram [11]
1986 Mohanlal T. P. Balagopalan M. A. [10]
1987 Nedumudi Venu Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam [10]
1988 Premji Piravi [10]
1989 Mammootty Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha
Mrigaya
Mahayanam		 [10]
1990 Thilakan Perumthachan [10]
1991 Mohanlal Abhimanyu
Ulladakkam
Kilukkam		 [12]
1992 Murali Aadhaaram [12]
1993 Mammootty Vidheyan
Ponthan Mada
Vatsalyam		 [12]
1994 Thilakan Gamanam
Santhanagopalam		 [12]
1995 Mohanlal Spadikam
Kaalapani		 [12]
1996 Murali Kaanaakkinaavu [12]
1997 Suresh Gopi Kaliyattam [12]
1998 † Murali Thalolam [12]
Rajit Kapur Agnisakshi [13]
1999 Mohanlal Vanaprastham [12]
2000 O. Madhavan Sayahnam [14]
2001 Murali Neythukaran [14]
2002 Oduvil Unnikrishnan Nizhalkuthu [14]
2003 Nedumudi Venu Margam [14]
2004 Mammootty Kaazhcha [14]
2005 Mohanlal Thanmathra [14]
2006 Prithviraj Sukumaran Vaasthavam [14]
2007 Mohanlal Paradesi [14]
2008 Lal Thalappavu [14]
2009 Mammootty Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha [14]
2010 Salim Kumar Adaminte Makan Abu [14]
2011 Dileep Vellaripravinte Changathi [14]
2012 Prithviraj Sukumaran Celluloid
Ayalum Njanum Thammil		 [14]
2013 † Fahadh Faasil Artist
North 24 Kaatham		 [citation needed]
Lal Ayaal
Zachariayude Garbhinikal
2014 † Nivin Pauly 1983 [citation needed]
Sudev Nair My Life Partner
2015 Dulquer Salmaan Charlie [15]
2016 Vinayakan Kammatipaadam [16]
2017 Indrans Aalorukkam [17]
2018 † Soubin Shahir Sudani from Nigeria [18]
Jayasurya Captain
Njan Marykutty
2019 Suraj Venjaramoodu Android Kunjappan Version 5.25
Vikruthi		 [19]
2020 Jayasurya Vellam [20]
2021 † Biju Menon Aarkkariyam [21]
Joju George Nayattu
Madhuram
Thuramukham
Freedom Fight
2022 Mammootty Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam [22]
2023 Prithviraj Sukumaran Aadujeevitham [23]
2024

Mammootty Bramayugam [24]
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Notes

  1. [a]
    In 1986, Mohanlal received the award for T. P. Balagopalan M. A. at age 26.[6]

References

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