Thiruvananthapuram | Malayalam cinema secured a fair share of honours at the 71st National Film Awards announced in Delhi on Friday.

The awards for the year 2023 were announced by jury head and filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.

Veteran actors Vijayaraghavan and Urvashi were named Best Supporting Actor and Actress, respectively.

Vijayaraghavan was recognised for his performance as an elderly man in 'Pookkaalam', directed by Ganesh Raj, while Urvashi earned the honour for her role in 'Ullozhukku'.

Directed by debutant Christo Tomy, 'Ullozhukku' was adjudged Best Malayalam Film.

Mohandas won the award for Best Production Design for the blockbuster '2018', while Midhun Murali received the Best Editing award for 'Pookkaalam'.

Documentary filmmaker M K Ramdas received a special mention in the non-feature section for 'Nekal-Chronicle of the Paddy Man', a film on Padma Shri awardee Cheruvayal Raman, known for preserving traditional seed varieties.

Sound designer M R Radhakrishnan from Kerala also received a special mention for his work in the Hindi film 'Animal'.

Reacting to the announcement, Vijayaraghavan said he was elated. "Earlier, I used to look forward to awards. These days, I don’t expect them—so this is a pleasant surprise," he told reporters.

Urvashi dedicated the award to Christo Tomy. "I had hoped he would be recognised as Best Debut Director for this effort," she said.

Tomy credited his crew for the film’s success. "This award belongs to the entire team of 'Ullozhukku'. Urvashi and Parvathy Thiruvothu were irreplaceable in their roles," he said.

Meanwhile, the Best Director award for Sudipto Sen’s controversial Hindi film 'The Kerala Story' has sparked criticism in Kerala.

State General Education Minister V Sivankutty said the honour "diminishes the value of the national awards".

In a statement, he claimed, "It is regrettable that an award is given to a film filled with baseless allegations and hate propaganda. This is not an honour for art, but a recognition of attempts to divide society."