Big budget movies starring superstars would compete in this year’s Kerala state award.

Mohanlal’s Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham (Priyadarshan) and Lucifer (Prithviraj) have made it to the list. Meanwhile, Mammooty starrer Mamangam (M Padmakumar) is another big budget film that has been submitted for the award.

Besides, Ittymani Made in China (Jibi Kochapu, Joju Rapheal) starring Mohanlal and Unda (Khalid Rahman) and Pathinettam Padi (Sankar Ramakrishnan) in which Mammootty plays the lead role too would be in this year’s list of nominees.

Usually, the small movies overtake the big budget films to bag the top honors in the Kerala state film awards. This year, 119 movies among the 120 films submitted for the awards have been given approval. One movie has been disqualified as the makers didn’t pay the fees or submit the required documents.

Industry analysts think that the award determination would be difficult this year as these many films have been submitted. From senior director KP Kumaran to debutant film makers, everyone has presented their movies for the state’s biggest movie awards. However, the experts are skeptical about the quality of many movies.

Chalachitra Academy Chairman Kamal’s son Jenuse Muhammad too is in the race with his movie Nine. However, Kamal hasn’t submitted his movie for the award. Though Kamal cannot compete as the director of the movie, there aren’t any legal issues that prevent the nomination of the artists or technicians in that movie. However, many including the lead actors of Kamal’s movie lost the opportunity to compete for the prestigious state award as the movie wasn’t submitted for the nominations.

Thanneermathan Dinangal (AD Gireesh), Kumbalangi Nights (Madhu C Narayanan), Jallikettu (Lijo Jose Pellisery), Virus (Aashiq Abu), Veyilmaranagal (Dr. Biju), Kolambi (TK Rajivkumar), Prathi Poovankozhi (Rosshan Andrews), Uyare (Manu Asokan), Android Kunjappan (Ratheesh Pothuval), Ambili (John Paul George), Driving License (Jean Paul Lal), Thelivu (MA Nishad), Jalasamadhi (Venu Nair), Gramavrikshathile Kuyil (KP Kumaran), Finals (PR Arun), Athiran (Vivek Thomas Varghese), Porinju Mariyam Jose (Joshiy), Vikrithi (MC Joseph), Hasyam (Jayaraj), Moothon (Geethu Mohandas), Stand Up (Vidhu Vincent), Thakkol (Kiran Prabhakaran), Sathyam Paranjal Vishwasikumo (G Prijith), Kenjira (Manoj Kana), Abhimanini (MG Sasi) and Kallanottam (Rahul Riji Nair) are some of the popular movies in the list of nominees.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if a small, unpopular movie beats these films, some of which had created ripples in the theaters, to win the top awards. A few movies stand out for it strange names as well. PR Arun’s Rampuntanavaruthi is the perfect example. Meanwhile, Sherry’s ‘Kakagakhanga Chachajanja tattadaddana thathadhana paphababhama yaralavashasazhara’ (Malayalam alphabets) would be movie with the longest title this year. There are two movies, Nalla Kottayamkaran (Simon Kuruvila) and Kottayam (Binu Bhaskar) which pays tribute to the district through its titles.

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The award committee would watch 119 movies by dividing themselves in three groups. The best among them would be selected to the next round. The movies that get through to the second round would be considered for the awards. If a movie gets rejected in the first round due to its lack of quality, then the chances of the actors and technicians who had performed amazingly in it too would be meager.

These are the other movies and their directors that would compete for the state awards:

Chachaji (M Haja Moinu), Thureeyam (Jithin Kumbukattu), Thi.mi.ram (Sivaram Mani), Swanasam (Prijukumar Hriday Ayush), Idam (Jaya Jose Raj), Raktasakshyam (Bijulal), Kadal Kattu Athirukal (Samad Mankadaa), Mohabathin Kunjabdulla (Shanu Samad), Ishq (Anuraj Manohar), Sthree Sthree (R Sreenivasan), Vishudha Pusthakam (Shabu Usman Konni), Hridyam (KC Binu), Ente Sthyanweshana Pareekshakal (Kukku Surendran), Vishudha Rathrikal (Dr. S Sunil), Swarnamalsyangal (GS Pradeep), June (Ahmmed Kabeer), Kaadoram (Muhammad Sajil), Premika (Sajeev Kilikulam), Bilathikuzhal (AK Vinu), Vasanthi (Rahman Brothers), Neeyum Njanum (AK Saajan), Nan Petta Makan (Saji S Paalamel), Velathan (Karimadi Rajendran), Trip (Anwar Abdullah, MR Unni), Edakkad Battalion (Swapnesh K Nair), Kuttiyappanum Daivadootharum (Gokul Hariharan).

Thottappan (Shanavas K Bhavakutty), A For Apple (Madhu S Kumar, Sreekumar), Evide (KK Rajeev), Samanwayam (PP Govindan), Forty One (Lal Jose), Marjara Oru Kalluvacha Nuna (Rakesh Bala), Vari The Sentence (Sreejith Poyilkavu), Thamasha (Ashraf Hamsa), Rameshan Oru Peralla (Sujith Vigneshwar), Maranam Durbalam (Vijayan Balakrishnan), Lonappante Mamodeesa (Leo Thadevoos), Aathmavidyalayam (Dr. Chungathu), Oru Pakka Naadan Premam (Vinod Nettathanni), PK Rosy (Sasi Nadukkad), Kamala (Ranjith Sankar), Kodathi Samaksham Balan Vakeel (B Unnikrishnan), Moonnam Pralayam (Ratheesh Raju), Vakathiruvu (KK Muhammad Ali), My Lucky Number is Black (Aathmabodh), Iruttu (Satheesh Babusenana, Santhosh Babusenan).

Syamaragam (Sethu Eyyal), Vrithakrithiyilulla Chathuram (RK Krishnanand, Geethanjali), Odunnon (KV Noushad), Run Kalyani (J Geetha), Kakshi Ammini Pilla (Dinjith Ayyathan), Kakkaponnu (Dinesh Gopal), March Randam Vyazham (Jahangir Ummar), Munthiri Monjan (KP Vijith), Kaatinarike (Roy Joseph Karakkat), Kozhiporu (Jinoy Janardhanan), Mounaksharangal (Devadas Kallurutty), Lessons (by four directors), Kettyolanenta Maalakha (Nissam Basheer), Cheriya Cheriya Valya Kaaryanagal (Raveendranath), Chanagayi (Sudesh Kumar), Sairayum Njanum (KS Dharmarajan), Pullu (Riyas, Praveen), Luca (Arun Bose), Oru Vadakkan Pennu (Irshad Hameed), Sameer (Rasheed Parackal), Safe (Pradeep Kalipurayathu), Confessions of a Cuckoo (Jai Jithin Prakash), Muthassikoru Muthu (Anil Karakulam), Big Salute (AKB Kumar), Lona (Biju Bernard), Helen (Mathukutty Xavier), Pattabhiraman (KannanThamarakulam), Kalamandalam Haidarali (Kiran G Nath), Oru Desha Vishesham (MR Narayanan), Biriyani (Sajin Babu), Sakshi (Soorya Sundar), Kurup (T Deepesh), Sullu (Vishnu Bharadhwaj), Nani (Samvid Anand), Ottachodyam (Aneesh Urumbil).

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