53rd Kerala State Film Awards

The 53rd Kerala State Film Awards, presented by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, was announced by Saji Cherian, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Kerala on 21 July 2023.^[1][2][3]

53rd Kerala State Film Awards
Awarded for	Best works in Malayalam cinema in a select year
Date	21 July 2023 (2023-07-21)
Location	Thiruvananthapuram
Country	India
Presented by	Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
First award	1969
Most wins	Nna Thaan Case Kodu (7)
Website	keralafilm.com
← 2022 (52nd) · Kerala State Film Awards · 2024 (54th) →

Writing category

Jury

• K. C. Narayanan (chairman)
• K. Rekha	• M. A. Dileep
• C. Ajoy

Awards

All award recipients receive a cash prize, certificate and statuette.

Name of award	Title of work	Awardee(s)	Cash prize
Best Book on Cinema	Cinemayude Bhavanadeshangal	C. S. Venkiteswaran	₹30,000
Best Article on Cinema	Punasthapanam Enna Mahendrajalam	Sabu Pravadas	₹20,000

Special Mention

All recipients receive a certificate and statuette.

Name of award	Title	Awardee(s)
Book on Cinema	No award	No award
Article on Cinema	No award	No award

Film category

Jury

Final jury

• Gautam Ghose (chairman)
• Nemam Pushparaj	• K. M. Madhusudhanan
• Hari Nair	• D. Yuvaraj
• Gautami	• Jency Gregory
• C. Ajoy

Second jury

• K. M. Madhusudhanan (chairman)
• B. Rakesh	• Sajas Rahman
• Vinod Sukumaran	• C. Ajoy

First jury

• Nemam Pushparaj (chairman)
• V. J. James	• K. M. Sheeba
• Roy P. Thomas	• C. Ajoy

Awards

All award recipients receive a cash prize, certificate and statuette.

Name of award	Title of film	Awardee(s)	Cash prize
Best Film	Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam	Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery	₹200,000
		Producer: George Sebastian	₹200,000
Second Best Film	Adithattu	Director: Jijo Antony	₹150,000
		Producer: Godjo J.	₹150,000
Best Director	Ariyippu	Mahesh Narayanan	₹200,000
Best Actor	Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam	Mammootty	₹100,000
Best Actress	Rekha	Vincy Aloshious	₹100,000
Best Character Actor	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	P. P. Kunhikrishnan	₹50,000
Best Character Actress	Saudi Vellakka	Devi Varma	₹50,000
Special Jury Award	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	Kunchacko Boban (awarded for acting)	₹25,000
	Appan	Alencier Ley Lopez (awarded for acting)	₹25,000
Best Child Artist	Pallotty 90s Kids	Davinchi Santhosh (Male category)	₹50,000
	Vazhakku	Thanmaya Sol A. (Female category)	₹50,000
Best Story	Pada	Kamal K. M.	₹50,000
Best Cinematography	Ela Veezha Poonchira	Manesh Madhavan	₹25,000
	Vazhakku	Chandru Selvaraj	₹25,000
Best Screenplay (Original)	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval	₹50,000
Best Screenplay (Adaptation)	Oru Thekkan Thallu Case	Rajesh Kumar R.	₹50,000
Best Lyrics	Viddikalude Mash ("Thiramalayanu Njan")	Rafeeq Ahammed	₹50,000
Best Music Director (songs)	Pathonpatham Noottandu ("Mazhilpeeli Ilakunnu" and "Karumban Inningu") Ayisha (All songs)	M. Jayachandran	₹50,000
Best Music Director (score)	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	Dawn Vincent	₹50,000
Best Male Singer	Pallotty 90s Kids ("Kanave Mizhiyil Unare")	Kapil Kapilan	₹50,000
Best Female Singer	Pathonpatham Noottandu ("Mayipeeli Ilakunnu Kanna")	Mridula Warrier	₹50,000
Best Editor	Thallumaala	Nishadh Yusuf	₹50,000
Best Art Director	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	Jyothish Shankar	₹50,000
Best Sync Sound	Ariyippu	Vaishak P. V.	₹50,000
Best Sound Mixing	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	Vipin Nair	₹50,000
Best Sound Design	Ela Veezha Poonchira	Ajayan Adat	₹50,000
Best Processing Lab / Colourist	Ela Veezha Poonchira	After Studios / Robert Lang	₹25,000
	Vazhakku	iGene - DI and VFX / R. Rangarajan	₹25,000
Best Makeup Artist	Bheeshma Parvam	Ronnex Xavier	₹50,000
Best Costume Designer	Saudi Vellakka	Manjusha Radhakrishnan	₹50,000
Best Dubbing Artist	Pathonpatham Noottandu (Character: Padaveedan Thampy)	Shobi Thilakan (Male category)	₹50,000
	Saudi Vellakka (Character: Ayisha Rowther)	Pauly Valsan (Female category)	₹50,000
Best Choreography	Thallumaala	Shobi Paul Raj	₹50,000
Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value	Nna Thaan Case Kodu	Director: Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval	₹100,000
		Producer: Santhosh T. Kuruvilla	₹100,000
Best Debut Director	Ela Veezha Poonchira	Shahi Kabir	₹100,000
Best Children's Film	Pallotty 90's Kids	Director: Jithin Raj	₹100,000
		Producer: Sajid Yahiya	₹150,000
Best Visual Effects	Vazhakku	Anish D. Sumesh Gopal[4]	₹50,000

Special Mention

All recipients receive a certificate and statuette.

Name of award	Title of film	Awardee(s)	Awarded for
Special Mention	Ilavarambu	Biswajith S.	Direction
Special Mention	Vettapattikalum Ottakkarum	Rarish G. Kurup	Direction

Special Award in Any Category for Women/Transgender

All recipients receive a cash prize, certificate, and statuette.

Name of award	Title of film	Awardee(s)	Awarded for	Cash prize
Special Award in Any Category for Women/Transgender	B 32 Muthal 44 Vare	Shruthi Sharanyam	Direction	₹50,000