The National Film Award for Best Malayalam Feature Film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus). Since the 70th National Film Awards, the name was changed to "Best Malayalam Feature Film".
The National Film Awards, established in 1954, are the most prominent film awards in India that merit the best of the Indian cinema. The ceremony also presents awards for films in various regional languages.
Awards for films in seven regional language (Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu) started from 2nd National Film Awards which were presented on 21 December 1955. Three awards of "President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film", "Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film" and "Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film" were instituted. The later two certificate awards were discontinued from 15th National Film Awards (1967).
The first winner of the "President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Malayalam" was the 1954 film Neelakuyil. Jointly directed by P. Bhaskaran and Ramu Kariat, the film was based on a story written by Malayalam writer Uroob. It told the story of a love affair between a Dalit girl and an educated, high caste school teacher. The film is considered a landmark in Malayalam cinema history. Along with Neelakuyil, S. S. Rajan directed film Sneha Seema was honoured with a Certificate of Merit. Following is the list of Silver Lotus Award (Rajat Kamal) recipient films produced in Malayalam language.
Winners
Award includes 'Rajat Kamal' (Silver Lotus Award) and cash prize. Following are the award winners over the years:
Awards legends
List of award films, showing the year (award ceremony), producer(s) and director(s) Year Film(s) Producer(s) Director(s) 1954 Neelakuyil Chandrathara Productions P. BhaskaranRamu Kariat Snehaseema Associate Pictures S. S. Rajan1955 No Award 1956 No Award 1957 Padatha Painkili Neela Productions P. Subramaniam 1958 Nairu Pidicha Pulivalu T. E. Vasudevan P. Bhaskaran Randidangazhi Neela Productions P. Subramaniam 1959 Chathurangam Capt. (Dr.) G. T. Joshua J. D. ThottanD. V. Swamy 1960 No Award 1961 Mudiyanaya Puthran Chandrathara Productions Ramu Kariat Kandam Becha Kottu Modern Theatres T. R. Sundaram Sabarimala Ayyappan K. Kuppuswamy S. M. Sriramulu Naidu 1962 Puthiya Akasam Puthiya Bhoomi Associated Producers M. S. Mani Kalpadukal T. R. Raghavan K. S. Anthony 1963 Ninamaninja Kalpadukal K. V. Bhavadas, N. K. Karunakara Pillai and K. Parameshwaran Nair N. N. Pisharody Doctor H. H. Ebrahim M. S. Mani Kalayum Kaminiyum Neela Productions P. Subramaniam 1964 Aadyakiranangal P. Bhaskaran and V. Abdullah P. Bhaskaran Kudumbini P. A. Thomas and J. Sasikumar P. A. Thomas and J. SasikumarThacholi Othenan T. K. Pareekutty S. S. Rajan 1965 Kavyamela T. E. Vasudevan M. Krishnan Nair Odayil Ninnu P. Ramaswamy K. S. Sethumadhavan Murappennu K. Parameswaran Nair A. Vincent 1966 Kunjali Marikkar T. K. Pareekutty S. S. Rajan 1967 Anveshichu Kandethiyilla K. Ravindran Nair P. Bhaskaran 1968 Adhyapika Neela Productions P. Subramaniam 1969 Adimakal M. O. Joseph K. S. Sethumadhavan 1970 Ezhuthatha Kadha Jai Maruthy Pictures A. B. Raj 1971 Karakanakadal Hari Pothan K. S. Sethumadhavan 1972 Panitheeratha Veedu K. S. R. Moorthy K. S. Sethumadhavan 1973 Gayathri A. R. Shreedharan Elayidom and P. B. Ashram P. N. Menon 1974 Uttarayanam Pattathuvila Karunakaran G. Aravindan 1975 Swapnadanam T. Mohamed Bapu K. G. George 1976 Manimuzhakkam Cartoonist Thomas P. A. Backer 1977 Kodiyettam Kulathoor Bhaskaran Nair Adoor Gopalakrishnan1978 Thampu K. Ravindran Nair G. Aravindan1979 Peruvazhiyambalam Prem Prakash Padmarajan 1980 Yagam B. Chandramani Bai Sivan 1981 Elippathayam K. Ravindran Nair Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1982 Chappa P. K. Abdul Latif P. A. Backer 1983 Malamukalile Daivam Surya Mudra Films P. N. Menon 1984 Mukhamukham K. Ravindran Nair Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1985 Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam M. Mani P. Padmarajan 1986 Uppu K. M. A. Rahim V. K. Pavithran 1987 Purushartham P. T. K. Mohammad K. R. Mohanan 1988 Rugmini S. C. Pillai and Gigy Abraham K. P. Kumaran 1989 Mathilukal Adoor Gopalakrishnan Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1990 Vasthuhara T. Ravindranath G. Aravindan 1991 Kadavu M. T. Vasudevan Nair M. T. Vasudevan Nair 1992 Swaroopam P. T. K. Mohammed K. R. Mohanan 1993 Vidheyan K. Ravi Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1994 Sukrutham M. M. Ramachandran Harikumar 1995 Ormakalundayirikkanam Salam Karassery T. V. Chandran 1996 Desadanam Jayaraj Jayaraj 1997 Mangamma NFDC T. V. Chandran 1998 Agnisakshi Srishti Films Shyamaprasad 1999 Punaradhivasam N. P. Prakash V. K. Prakash 2000 Sayanam M. P. Sukumaran Nair M. P. Sukumaran Nair Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal Grihalakshmi Films Sathyan Anthikad 2001 Dany T. V. Chandran T. V. Chandran 2002 Nizhalkuthu Adoor Gopalakrishnan Adoor Gopalakrishnan 2003 Saphalam Anil Thomas Asok R. Nath 2004 Akale Tom George Kolath Shyamaprasad 2005 Thanmathra Century Films Blessy 2006 Drishtantham M. P. Sukumaran Nair M. P. Sukumaran Nair 2007 Ore Kadal Vindhyan N. B. Shyamaprasad 2008 Thirakkatha Varnachithra Big Screen Ranjith 2009 Keralavarma Pazhassiraja A. M. Gopalan T. Hariharan 2010 Veettilekkulla Vazhi B. C. Joshi Dr. Biju 2011 Indian Rupee August Cinema Ranjith 2012 Celluloid Kamal and Ubaid Kamal 2013 North 24 Kaatham C. V. Sarathi Anil Radhakrishnan Menon 2014 Ain 1:1.3 Entertainments Sidhartha Siva 2015 Pathemari Allens Media Salim Ahamed 2016 Maheshinte Prathikaaram Dream Mill Cinemas and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. Dileesh Pothan 2017 Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum Urvasi Theatres Dileesh Pothan 2018 Sudani from Nigeria Happy Hours Entertainments Zakariya Mohammed 2019 Kalla Nottam First Print Studio Rahul Riji Nair 2020 Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam Pushkar Films Senna Hegde 2021 Home Vijay Babu Rojin Thomas 2022 Saudi Vellakka Urvashi Theatres Tharun Moorthy 2023 Ullozhukku RSVP Movies and MacGuffin Pictures Christo Tomy 2024 Feminichi Fathima Fasil Muhammed Fasil Muhammed
References
External links Official Page for Directorate of Film Festivals, India National Film Awards Archives