Young talent Deva Nandha has directly challenged jury chairperson Prakash Raj and the Kerala State Film Awards committee over their decision to discontinue awards for Best Children’s Film and Best Child Artist. The child actor, known for her impactful roles in ‘Malikappuram’ and ‘Gu’, took to social media to voice her strong objections.
Nandha, whose Instagram account is managed by her parents, posted a video of Prakash Raj’s press conference remarks, adding her own critical commentary. She stated, “Close your eyes to the kids, but don’t say it’s dark all over here. Children are also part of this society.” She felt the jury’s decision for the 2024 Malayalam film awards was a missed opportunity to acknowledge and nurture emerging talent.
In her statement, Nandha insisted that children are an essential part of the cinematic landscape and society at large. She referenced the success of recent films like ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’, ‘Gu’, ‘Phoenix’, and ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’ (ARM), which showcased strong child performances. She argued that presenting awards to children would have fostered greater encouragement for future projects. “It is not by sitting without giving awards to two children, but trying to say more children’s movies should be done. If it had been given to two children, it would have become energy for many children,” she explained.
She highlighted her disappointment that the jury chairman, who had previously championed increased opportunities for children and their inclusion, did not seemingly consider the rights of child actors in this decision. Deva Nandha urged a public discourse involving media, filmmakers, and the general audience to bring about necessary changes and safeguard the rights of children in the film industry.
The 55th Kerala State Film Awards winners were announced on November 3, 2025, following deliberations by a seven-member jury chaired by Prakash Raj. During the press interaction, Prakash Raj elaborated on the jury’s stance, commenting, “This year, we did not give awards for Best Children’s Film or Best Child Artist because we didn’t find any film or attempt that truly represented children. Directors and writers must realise that children are also part of society.”