The announcement of the 55th Kerala State Film Awards 2025 has unleashed a storm of controversy across social media platforms, centred on the complete omission of the year’s biggest blockbuster, ‘Aavesham,’ and its charismatic lead, Fahadh Faasil. Fans and industry watchers have voiced their astonishment and anger, questioning the jury’s criteria after the film, described by one commentator as “the best mass comedy film in nearly two decades,” received no awards, nor even a special mention.
Aavesham, directed by Jithu Madhavan, was a certified box-office triumph, grossing an estimated ₹156 crore and earning immense popular and critical acclaim, particularly for Fahadh Faasil’s performance as the gangster ‘Ranga.’ Social media posts circulated immediately after the winners were declared, highlighting the profound disconnect between popular opinion and the official jury verdict. Comments ranged from surprise—“Very surprised that #Aavesham didn’t make the cut for Kerala State Awards”—to outright disbelief, with many simply asking, “But why!! #Aavesham”
The ‘Collateral Damage’ of Excellence
The outrage intensified as other awardees were scrutinised. While the jury rightly celebrated cinematic excellence, with films like ‘Manjummel Boys’ sweeping multiple major honours, and Mammootty clinching Best Actor for ‘Bramayugam’, the failure to recognise Aavesham became a major talking point.
One user on the ‘X’ platform lamented, “2024 was such a phenomenal year for Malayalam cinema that #Aavesham missing out on awards could’ve been seen as collateral damage of excellence…” The sentiment suggests that in a year of ‘phenomenal’ cinema, the genre-bending, cult-classic-in-the-making Aavesham was unfairly sidelined. Adding fuel to the fire, the film ‘Bougainvillea’ walked away with a significant six awards and a special mention, including Adapted Screenplay and Music Direction, leading the same user to conclude, “So now this huge miss just feels like a travesty.”
In the popular categories, the award for the Best Popular Film was secured by ‘Premalu,’ another major commercial success, further fuelling the debate. Some suggested that Aavesham should have, at the very least, shared the Most Popular Film award, arguing that “#Aavesham could’ve easily shared the Most Popular Film Award with Premalu.”
Fahadh Faasil and the Spirit of ‘Ranga’
The most stinging aspect of the ‘snub’ for many fans was the non-recognition of Fahadh Faasil’s transformative portrayal of ‘Ranga.’ His performance was universally hailed as a career high, and its exclusion from the top acting honours is seen as a profound oversight. “No award for our ranganna” and “Ranga Annan Aavesham” became rallying cries across social media, with fans choosing to celebrate the film’s massive cultural impact and public adoration over institutional accolades.
As one fan eloquently put it, “When You Have Already Won Hearts, Then who Cares About Awards 🔥😔 Njanga Ranga Annante Piller Ah 📈 #Aavesham #FahadhFaasil.” For the millions who made the film a blockbuster, the lack of a state award does little to diminish the legacy of the film, which they believe has already achieved a ‘cult status’ “and is widely deserving of every award.” The debate surrounding the 55th Kerala State Film Awards is set to continue, raising perennial questions about the balance between artistic merit, popular appeal, and the unpredictable nature of awards jury decisions.