Thrissur, 3 Nov

Mammootty and Shamla Hamza were on Monday named 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress', respectively, as the Kerala government announced the 55th State Film Awards for 2024.

Chidambaram’s 'Manjummel Boys', one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films and a survival thriller, swept major honours, including 'Best Film'.

The awards were announced by Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian in the presence of the seven-member jury chaired by actor Prakash Raj.

Mammootty won the 'Best Actor' award for his portrayal of Kodumon Potty in 'Bramayugam', while Shamla Hamza, a relatively new face in the industry, bagged the 'Best Actress' title for her powerful performance in 'Feminichi Fathima'.

Chidambaram also won the awards for 'Best Director' and 'Best Screenplay' (Original) for 'Manjummel Boys'.

'Premalu', featuring Naslen and Mamitha Baiju, was named 'Best Popular Film'. It was directed by Girish A D.