‘53 years, countless characters; second National Award in our family’: Actor Vijayaraghavan

Veteran Malayalam actor Vijayaraghavan has expressed heartfelt gratitude after receiving the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Pookkaalam.

The award was presented to him by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony on Tuesday evening in New Delhi.

Soon after the event, Vijayaraghavan took to Facebook to share his excitement with fans and followers. In his post, he dedicated the honour to his late father, the legendary playwright and actor NN Pillai, saying the recognition held deep personal significance.

In his Facebook post, he wrote, "53 years, countless characters, endless lessons. Finally, the award returns home. This is the second National Award in our family. The first was my father’s. This is for him. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey."

The 71st National Film Awards brought huge recognition for Malayalam cinema on Tuesday. Several Malayalis who won the National Film Awards 2023 are being recognised today. Urvashi won Best Supporting Actor (Female) for her performance in Ullozhukku, while Vijayaraghavan received Best Supporting Actor (Male) for Pookkaalam, despite both technically playing lead roles in their respective films.

Ullozhukku, directed by Christo Tomy, was named Best Malayalam Film, earning acclaim for its storytelling and cinematic craft.

Mohandas Pallakkotti received Best Production Design for 2018, praised for recreating the Kerala floods of 2018 on a set built on an empty plot. Midhun Murali won Best Editor for his seamless work in Pookkaalam.

In the non-film category, M.K. Ramdas earned a special mention for the documentary Nekal - Chronicle of the Paddy Man, highlighting skillful storytelling beyond mainstream cinema.