THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Atlas Film Critics Awards for television programmes were announced at a press conference held here on Friday. ‘Penmanassu’ directed by T S Saji and produced by M Shamnad, which was screened on Surya TV, has been selected as the best serial of 2013. The award is instituted by the Kerala Film Critics Association along with Atlas group.
‘Vazhthapettaval’, directed by Sibi Yogyaveedan for Shalom TV, won the award for second best serial. The best serial award comprises a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and second best serial will get a purse of Rs 20,000.
T S Saji, the director of ‘Pensmanassu’ has been selected as the best serial director, while Sibi Yogyaveedan has won the second best serial director award.
Kumarakom Raghunath and Meera Murali were adjudged the best actor and actress respectively for their performance in ‘Penmanassu’. Pala Aravindan was selected as the second best actor for his performance in ‘Lonappan’s Law’ and Divya Sujith of ‘Sainaba Entha Neeyingane’ was chosen as second best actress.
Other awards: Best telefilm - ‘Kaliyodam’ (produced by Akbar Kulathupuzha); Second best telefilm - ‘Focus’ (directed by Vyjayanthi); Best telefilm director - Prashanth Kanathoor (‘Nilavurangunnilla’); Best cinematographer - Rajeev Vijay (‘Thudarcha’); Best editor - J Sathyamoorthy (‘Nilavurangunnilla’), Second best telefilm director - Shanavas Kulathupuzha (‘Kaliyodam’); Best screenwriter - Unni Cheriyan (‘Karyam Nissaram’); Best news-based documentary - ‘Agnirekha’ (by Sathyan Odessa); Second best news based documentary - ‘Prakruthiyil Nasham Parannirangumbol’ (by Sreejith Pandalam); Best personality documentary - ‘Kerala Panini A R Rajarajavarma’ (by Ani Varghese); Second best personality documentary - ‘Novel Jeevitham’ (by Ebin Raj); Best issue-based documentary - ‘Mother University’ (by Venu Nair), ‘Varaprasadam’ (by E R Premachandradas); Best documentary director - Vijayakrishnan (‘Indian Cinema’ - Jaihind TV); Second best documentary director - Madhu Iravankara (‘Kerala Panini A R Rajarajavarma’); Best narrator - Prof Aliyar (‘Mother University’, ‘Kerala Panini A R Rajaraja Varma’); Special jury award - ‘Ekanthathayude Azhimughangal’ (by Chirayinkeezhu Radhakrishnan).
The awardees were selected by a five-member jury chaired by George Onakkoor. Atlas group chairman M M Ramachandran, Kerala Film Critics Association president Thekkinkadu Joseph, general secretary Balan Thirumala, vice-president Poovappally Ramachandran and treasurer Vattappara Ramachandran were present at the press meet.