Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail, known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty, is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam-language films. He has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English-language productions. In a career spanning five decades, he has appeared in more than 420 films, predominantly in lead roles. He is the recipient of several accolades, including three National Film Awards, eleven Kerala State Film Awards, eleven Kerala Film Critics Awards and fifteen Filmfare Awards South. He was honored with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award by the Government of India in 1998, for his contributions to cinema. He was also honored with the Kerala Prabha Award by the Government of Kerala in 2022. Mammootty was named as one of "the men who changed the face of the Indian Cinema" by CNN.
Vineeth Sreenivasan is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, playback singer and lyricist who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. He is the eldest son of actor and screenwriter Sreenivasan.
The International Film Festival of Kerala is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. The festival is held in November or December every year and is acknowledged as one of the leading cultural events in India.
K. P. Kumaran is an Indian film maker who works in the Malayalam cinema. He co-authored the script of Swayamvaram directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Kumaran's first directorial venture was Athithi. His major films include Rugmini, Thenthulli, Laxmivijayam and Thottam. His latest film, Akasha Gopuram, is based on Henrik Ibsen's play The Master Builder.
Shyamaprasad is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and actor from Kerala.
Shamlee, is an Indian former actress who has worked in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam films. Her roles include the mentally challenged child Anjali in the 1990 film Anjali, for which she won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist, and a child trapped inside a bore-well in the film Malootty, which won her a Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist. She has also won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Female Child Actor for her performance in her Kannada debut Mathe Haditu Kogile.
Nivin Pauly is an Indian actor and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He is the recipient of two Kerala State Film Awards, three Filmfare Awards South, two Kerala Film Critics Association Awards, and six SIIMA Awards. He made his acting debut in Vineeth Sreenivasan's directorial debut, Malarvaadi Arts Club in 2010. The 2012 film Thattathin Marayathu pushed him into stardom.
Pooja Vijay, better known by her stage name Swasika, is an Indian actress and television presenter. She predominantly appears in supporting roles in Malayalam films and television series, in addition to few Tamil films. She is well known of her characters in Vasanthi (2021), Kumari (2022), Vivekanandan Viralanu (2024) and Lubber Pandhu (2024).
Wilson Joseph, professionally credited as Siju Wilson, is an Indian actor and producer, who works in Malayalam films. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film for his debut production Vasanthi (2019).
Kani Kusruti is an Indian actress. She first gained recognition in 2009 with the film Kerala Cafe, where her performance was critically acclaimed. Kani won the Best Actress at Kerala State Film Awards and the Best Actress Award at the Moscow International Film Festival for her performance in the film Biriyaani (2020). She has since starred in the independent films All We Imagine as Light and Girls Will Be Girls.
Senna Hegde is an Indian film director and screenwriter who mainly works in Malayalam films. He has also worked in a Kannada film. His debut film was the 2016 docudrama 0-41* and his second film was the romantic comedy, Katheyondu Shuruvagide.
Anna Ben is an Indian actress who works primarily in Malayalam cinema. The daughter of screenwriter Benny P. Nayarambalam, she made her acting debut with Kumbalangi Nights in 2019. For her starring roles in the dramas Helen (2019) and Kappela (2020), she won two Kerala State Film Awards. She has since played a supporting role in the top-grossing Telugu science fiction film Kalki 2898 AD (2024).
Biriyaani is a 2020 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Sajin Baabu. It features Kani Kusruti and Shailaja Jala in the lead roles. The film won NETPAC award for best film in 20th Asiatica Film Festival in Rome, Jury prize for Best Film at Bangalore International Film Festival, best film at the Caleidoscope Indian Film festival, Boston etc. Actress Kani Kusruti won the best actress at the BRICS competition section of the 42nd Moscow Film Festival, best actress at the Caleidoscope Indian Film festival, second-best actress award at the Imagine Film Festival in Madrid, Spain, and the 2019 Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress at Kerala State Film Awards for her performance in this film.
Vasanthi is a Malayalam-language drama film written, edited and directed by Rahman brothers, Shinos & Sajas for producer, actor Siju Wilson. The film won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film in 2020 at Kerala State Film Awards, before its release. The film was premiered at the 2021 International Film Festival of Kerala.
Sajin Baabu is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer, who works in Malayalam cinema. He made his directional debut with Unto the Dusk in 2014. He is noted for his latest movie Biriyaani which bagged numerous awards, including the NETPAC award for best film at ASIATICA, Rome, Italy. He is the winner of Special Jury mention for Direction for his movie Biriyaani at the 67th National Film Awards
Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language, comedy-drama film written and directed by Senna Hegde. The film won the Best Feature Film in Malayalam at the 68th National Film Awards. It was also chosen as the Second Best Film and Senna Hegde received the award for Best Story at the 51st Kerala State Film Awards. The film was also selected for the 25th International Film Festival of Kerala under the "Malayalam Cinema Today" category. The film was produced by Pushkara Mallikarjunaiah under the banner of Pushkar Films.
Orilathanalil is a 2021 Malayalam-language social drama film from India. It was produced by Sandeep. R under the banner Sahasrara Cinemas and directed by Asok. R. Nath who previously directed movies like Saphalam, December, Mizhikal Sakshi, Ven Shankhu Pol etc. Orilathanalil was one of the official entries at the Durban International Film Festival and Sacramento International Film Festival. The plot of the movie revolves around the survival of Achuthan, a physically disabled farmer played by Sreedharan Kaani, who has lost his hands in real life also and later became famous for winning the special award from the Kerala State Department of Agriculture as a role model and representative of the farmer community who has overcome their physical disabilities. The film is a journey through Sreedharan's real life too. It received great critical acclaim for the screenplay, direction, & the social issue discussed in the film among the critics subsequently winning Kerala Film Critics Award 2020 for Best Environmental Film.
1956, Central Travancore is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film written, directed and edited by Don Palathara and produced by Abhilash S. Kumar under Artbeat studios. The film stars Assif Yogi, Jain Andrews, Krishnan Balakrishnan and Kani Kusruti in lead roles. It features a musical score by Basil CJ. Cinematography was handled by Alex Joseph. The film was completely made in black and white format.
Chavittu is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written, edited and directed by Rahman brothers, Shinos & Sajas. The film is the maiden production of actor Sharaf U Dheen under the banner Sharafudheen & Friends. The members of the Little Earth Theatre troupe based in Malappuram form the major cast of the film. A hybrid of documentary and dramatisation, the film pays homage to the talented and hardworking theatre artists while juxtaposing it with the hypocrisy of the supposed elite society.
Vichithram (transl. Unusual) is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language mystery thriller film directed by Achu Vijayan, produced by Ajith Joy and Achu Vijayan under the banner Joy Movie Productions. The screenplay was written by Nikhil Ravindran. The film features Shine Tom Chacko, Balu Varghese, Lal, and Kani Kusruti. Arjun Balakrishnan is handling the cinematography and the music is composed by Jubair Muhammed along with the well known alternative hip-hop group Street Academics.
