"At a time when men have reduced themselves to frogs in the well that is confined within the boundaries of caste, religion, colour, nationality and race, every artist has a historical task to undertake. An artist's voice should be one that is heard loud above all differences," said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.
CM Pinarayi was speaking at the award distribution ceremony of the 47th Kerala State Film Awards, at an event held at Thalassery in Kannur district.
Actor Vinayakan
Speaking of the films that won laurels including Kammattipaadam, Karutha Joothan and Aaradi that portrays the lives of Dalits and the marginalised, the CM said that Malayalam films are portraying the lives of the common people.
"Films like these are films shed light on the lives of the oppressed and the downtrodden. These films testify that Malayalam cinema is portraying the realities of the common people," the CM said.
Such an action gains more importance at a time when the Indian political scenario is increasingly becoming anti-Dalit, CM Pinarayi pointed out.
The state awards were declared in March this year and had provided a much-needed break from the mainstream films. Actor Vinayakan, who played a Dalit in Kammattipaadam, bagged the Best Actor award for his performance in the film.
Director Vidhu Vincent
Manhole, a film by journalist-turned-film maker Vidhu Vincent that talks about the lives of manual scavengers in Kerala, was adjudged as the best film, leaving behind several mainstream movies.
Here's the list of all the winners.