Thiruvananthapuram: Director Hariharan bagged the prestigious J C Daniel Award 2019, the highest honour in Malayalam cinema. An announcement in this regard was made by Cultural Affairs Minister A K Balan here on Tuesday.

The coveted award, presented annually by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, honors the recipients for their "outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema".

The annual honour, named after J C Daniel, who made the first silent movie in Malayalam, comprises a purse of Rs 5 lakh, a citation and a plaque, Balan said in a release.

An expert panel, chaired by renowned writer M T Vasudevan Nair and having director Harikumar, actor Madhubala, Chalachitra Akademy chairman Kamal and Culture Department secretary Rani George as members, selected Hariharan for his contribution to Malayalam cinema during the past five decades.

Having directed over 50 Malayalam films, Hariharan is most noted for his films like Babumon (1975), Sharapancharam (1979), Panchagni (1986), Nakhakshathangal (1986), Amrutham Gamaya (1987), Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Sargam (1992), Parinayam (1994) and Pazhassi Raja (2009).

Veteran actor Sheela bagged the award last year and iconic director Adoor Gopalakrishnan and veteran lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi were the recipients of the honour in the previous years.

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