Malayalam cinema is celebrating as the winners of the 55th Kerala State Film Awards were announced on November 3, 2025, with veteran actor Mammootty securing the Best Actor award for his compelling performance in "Bramayugam". This marks his record-breaking seventh win in the category. Following the announcement, congratulatory messages poured in from across the film fraternity, with his son, actor Dulquer Salmaan, leading the tributes.
Dulquer Salmaan took to Instagram to express his pride and admiration for his father, affectionately captioning his post "Congratulations Sun". This simple yet heartfelt message quickly went viral, resonating with fans and industry colleagues alike. The endearing term "Sun" reflects the warm bond between the father-son duo and acknowledges Mammootty's illuminating presence in the Malayalam film industry.
Mammootty's win for "Bramayugam," directed by Rahul Sadasivan, has been widely praised, with the jury recognizing his powerful portrayal of Kodumon Potty. This is Mammootty's seventh Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, surpassing the previous record held jointly by Mohanlal and Urvashi. He previously won for his roles in "Adiyozhukkukal," "Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha," "Mrigaya," "Mahayanam," "Vidheyan," "Ponthan Mada," "Vatsalyam," "Kaazhcha," "Paleri Manikyam," and "Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam".
In a media interaction following the awards announcement, Mammootty expressed his gratitude and congratulated his fellow winners. He also acknowledged Asif Ali and Tovino Thomas, who received Special Jury Awards, as well as Shamla Hamza, who won Best Actress for "Feminichi Fathima," and Soubin Shahir and Sidharth Bharathan, who shared the Best Character Artist (Male) award. He further extended his appreciation to the music director, makeup artist Ronex Xavier, and everyone else he collaborated with on "Bramayugam", and congratulated the teams of "Manjummel Boys" and Amal Neerad.
He also shared his perspective on filmmaking, stating that awards are never the primary goal. "We don't do films with awards in mind—these things happen in their own way," he said. He emphasized the uniqueness of "Bramayugam's" story and characters and highlighted the collaborative nature of filmmaking. "This isn't a competition; it's a journey. Many people walk alongside us on this path—include them too," he added.
Besides Mammootty, "Manjummel Boys" emerged as a big winner, securing awards for Best Film, Best Director (Chidambaram S Poduval), Best Character Artist (Male) for Soubin Shahir, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Sound Design, Best Sound Mixing and Best Lyricist. Shamla Hamza won Best Actress for "Feminichi Fathima," while Lijomol Jose won Best Character Artist (Female) for "Nadanna Sambhavam". Fasil Muhammed was named Best Debut Director for "Feminichi Fathima". The romantic comedy "Premalu," directed by Girish AD, won the Best Popular Film award.
Mohanlal also extended his congratulations to Mammootty and all the other winners. "Heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of the Kerala State Film Awards! Special love to my Ichakka for winning Best Actor," he wrote on social media, also applauding "Manjummel Boys," Shamla Hamza, and Chidambaram.
The 55th Kerala State Film Awards ceremony was held at Ramanilayam, Thrissur, and the awards were presented by Minister for Culture and Films Saji Cherian. The jury was led by Prakash Raj. The awards recognize the outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema and celebrate the artistic excellence of the industry.
