Manhole, the debut movie of journalist and documentary maker Vidhu Vincent won the award for the best film in the Kerala State Film Awards-2016. She also won the best director award. Vinayakan, was adjudged the best actor for his performance in Kammattippadam and the best actress award went to Rajisha Vijayan for her performance in Anuraga Karikkinvellam.

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Manikandan won the best award for best supporting actor for his role in Kammattippadam. Kaadu Pookkunna Neram, directed by Dr. Biju won five awards and Kamboji, a film with music as its theme, won three awards in the music category. It was also the last film to be penned by late poet and Gyanpeeth awardee O N V Kurupp.

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Main awards:

Best Film : Manhole (Vidhu Vincent)

Second Best Film: Ottayal Patha.

Best Director: Vidhu Vincent

Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value  : Maheshinte Prathikaram

Best Children's Film: Kolumithaayi

Best Actor: Vinayakan -Kammattippadam

Best Actress : Rejisha Vijayan

Best Child Artist: Chethan Jayalal (Guppy), Abeni Aadi

Best story: Salim Kumar (Karutha Juthan)

Best Cinematography:   MJ Radhakrishnan

Best Screenplay (Original) : Shyam Pushkaran (Maheshinte Prathikaram)

Best Lyrics: O N V Kurup (Kamboji)

Best Music Director : M Jayachandran

Best Male Singer: Sooraj Santhosh

Best Female Singer : K S Chitra (Kamboji)

Best Dubbing Artist: M Thankamani

Best Choreography: Vineeth (Kamboji)

Best book on film: Cinema Muthal Cinema Vare

Best article on film: NP Sajeesh

The jury, headed by Apurba Kishore Bir, eminent film maker from Odisha, had nine experts on board. Cultural Minister AK Balan announced the awards on this afternoon at Thiruvananthapuram.

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The name of Vinayakan has been doing rounds as the best bet for the best actor award for his wonderful performance in Kammattippadam. He had won the best actor award when Cinama Paradiso Club, an organisation of film buffs on Facebook announced its awards recently. There was social media campaign for 'Ganga', the character played by Vinayakan in Kammattippadam.

The film, directed by Rajeev Ravi, won critical acclaim for its true depiction of the life of the marginalised in Kochi and for handling the politics of land and caste without glossing it over with cinematic cliches. It also went on to become a commercial success.

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Watch trailer of Kammattippadam:

Best Film: Manhole

Manhole, is an exploration of the life of women and complexities of caste and gender playing out in a community traditionally engaged in manual scavenging in Kerala. " I have made a documentary on the life of manual scavenges in Kerala in 2014 and the movie is based on it. My enquiry into the relationship between caste and work is the foundation of this movie. Life of women in such a society creates multiple layers of complexities," Vidhu Vincent noted on her directorial debut. The film had won her the FIPRESCI award for best film in the International Film Festival of Kerala.

Watch trailer of Manhole: