This post lists the National Award Winners of Malayalam Cinema in the categories of Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actresses.
National Award Winners of Malayalam Cinema
National Award for Best Film
- Instituted in – 1953.
- Sponsored by – Directorate of Film Festivals.
- Former Name – President's Gold Medal for Best Feature Film.
- Prize – Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) ₹ 2,50,000/-
- Total awarded – 67 times.
- First Winner – Shyamchi Aai.
- Last Winner (2019) – Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Director: Priyadarshan).
| Film | Director | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Chemmeen | Ramu Kariat | 1965 |
| Swayamvaram | Adoor Gopalakrishnan | 1972 |
| Nirmalyam | M. T. Vasudevan Nair | 1973 |
| Chidambaram | G. Aravindan | 1985 |
| Piravi | Shaji N. Karun | 1988 |
| Kathapurushan | Adoor Gopalakrishnan | 1995 |
| Vanaprastham | Shaji N. Karun & Mohanlal | 1999 |
| Shantham | Jayaraj | 2000 |
| Pulijanmam | Priyanandanan | 2006 |
| Kutty Srank | Shaji N. Karun | 2009 |
| Adaminte Makan Abu | Salim Ahamed | 2010 |
| Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea | Priyadarshan | 2019 |
National Award for Best Director
- Instituted in – 1964.
- Sponsored by – Directorate of Film Festivals.
- Former Name – Award for excellence in direction (1967–1976).
- Prize – Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus), ₹ 2,50,000.
- First awarded – 1967.
- Total awarded – 53.
- First winner – Satyajit Ray.
- Last Winner (2022) – Sachy (Ayyappanum Koshiyam).
- Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of Director (2019) – Mathukutty Xavier (Helen).
| Director | Film | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Adoor Gopalakrishnan | Swayamvaram Mukhamukham Anantaram Mathilukal Naalu Pennungal | 1972 1984 1987 1989 2007 |
| G. Aravindan | Kanchana Sita Thampu Oridathu | 1977 1978 1986 |
| Shaji N. Karun | Piravi | 1988 |
| Jayaraj | Kaliyattam Bhayanakam | 1997 2017 |
| Rajeevnath | Janani | 1998 |
| Sachidanandan KR (Sachy) | Ayyappanum Koshiyam | 2022 |
National Award for Best Actor
- Instituted in – 1954.
- Sponsored by – Directorate of Film Festivals.
- Former Name – Bharat Award (1968–1974).
- Prize – Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) ₹50,000.
- Total awarded – 58
- First awarded – 1967
- Most awards – Amitabh Bachchan (4 awards).
- Last winner (2019) – Manoj Bajpayee (Bhonsle) & Dhanush (Asuran).
| Actor | Film | Year |
|---|---|---|
| P. J. Antony | Nirmalyam | 1973 |
| Bharath Gopi | Kodiyettam | 1977 |
| Balan K. Nair | Oppol | 1980 |
| Premji | Piravi | 1988 |
| Mammootty | Mathilukal Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha | 1989 |
| Mohanlal | Bharatham | 1991 |
| Mammootty | Ponthan Mada Vidheyan | 1993 |
| Balachandra Menon | Samaantharangal | 1997 |
| Suresh Gopi | Kaliyattam | 1997 |
| Mammootty (Ajay Devgn) | Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (Zakhm) | 1998 |
| Mohanlal | Vanaprastham | 1999 |
| Murali | Neythukaran | 2001 |
| Salim Kumar (Dhanush) | Adaminte Makan Abu (Aadukalam) | 2010 |
| Suraj Venjaramoodu (Rajkumar Rao) | Perariyathavar (Shahid) | 2013 |
National Award for Best Actress
- Instituted in – 1954.
- Sponsored by – Directorate of Film Festivals.
- Former Name – Urvashi Award (1967–1973).
- Prize – Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) ₹50,000 (US$700).
- First awarded – 1967.
- Total awarded – 54.
- First winner – Nargis Dutt.
- Most awards – Shabana Azmi (5 awards).
- Last winner (2019) – Kangana Ranaut (Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi & Panga).
| Actress | Film | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Sharada | Thulabharam Swayamvaram | 1968 1972 |
| Monisha Unni | Nakhakshathangal | 1986 |
| Shobana | Manichitrathazhu | 1993 |
| Meera Jasmine | Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam | 2003 |
| Surabhi Lakshmi | Minnaminungu – the Firefly | 2016 |
SideNotes:
- Sharada has won a second National Film Award for the Best Actress in a Telugu film, Nimajjanam (1976).
- Shobana also won a National award a second time for an English film, Mitr My Friend (2001).