Young actor Deva Nandha has voiced strong criticism against jury head Prakash Raj and the Kerala State Film Awards committee for their decision to eliminate children’s award categories. Nandha, a rising talent recognized for her roles in ‘Malikappuram’ and ‘Gu’, took to Instagram to express her profound disappointment.
Through a post managed by her parents, Deva Nandha shared a clip of Prakash Raj’s statements and added her perspective. She argued, “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 announcement for the 2024 Malayalam Film Awards ignored the future generation of filmmakers and artists.
Nandha emphasized that children are integral to society and the film industry. She highlighted recent films featuring young actors, such as ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’, ‘Gu’, ‘Phoenix’, and ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’ (ARM). She believes that instead of omitting the awards, the jury should have used them to encourage more child-centric productions. “If it had been given to two children, it would have become energy for many children,” she stated.
She further expressed her dismay that the jury chairman, who had previously spoken about providing more opportunities for children and acknowledging their societal role, overlooked the rights of young performers. Deva Nandha urged the media, filmmakers, and the public to engage in a discussion about this issue, advocating for change and the protection of children’s rights within the industry.
The 55th Kerala State Film Awards, announced on November 3, 2025, had a seven-member jury chaired by veteran actor Prakash Raj. During a press conference, Raj explained the absence of Best Children’s Film and Best Child Artist awards, stating, “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.”
